1. Making the call: Nearly three years following Russia’s aggressive, full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Trump determined that it was time to re-initiate direct communication between the President of the United States and Putin, a leader under U.S. and EU sanctions, alongside an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for crimes against humanity and genocide. Hence, he initiated a 90-minute conversation on February 12.
2. Acknowledging Putin with undue admiration: “I want to express my gratitude to President Putin for his time and engagement during this call,” Trump remarked afterward. “We reflected on the significant history of our nations, especially our successful collaboration during World War II,” he added. “We agreed to collaborate closely, including visiting each other’s countries.”
3. Expressing a desire for Russia’s return to the G7 (which would rename it the G8, but who’s keeping track): “I would indeed love to see them back. I believe it was a mistake to expel them,” he shared with reporters in the Oval Office the following day after his conversation with Putin. He had voiced similar sentiments during his first term, but that was prior to Russia’s comprehensive invasion of Ukraine.
4. Allowing Putin to maintain significant Ukrainian territory: Trump’s Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth labeled Ukraine’s aim to reclaim all territory taken by Russia since 2014 as “unrealistic,” undermining Ukraine’s position in any potential negotiations. Hegseth also granted Putin what he sought by stating that Kyiv wouldn’t be joining NATO.
5. … and indicating that Russia possesses substantial Ukrainian territory: Trump himself later pointed out that Russia currently holds “the cards” in peace negotiations “since they’ve seized a considerable amount of territory.”
6. Agreeing with Putin’s preference against NATO involvement in Ukraine: Further remarks from Hegseth included that any troops from NATO nations serving in Ukraine would not be protected by the alliance’s “Article 5,” which stipulates that an attack on one member constitutes an attack on all.
