President Donald Trump yesterday said he spoke with Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and  that both leaders agreed to begin talks on ending the war in Ukraine.

Trump posted on his social media site that he planned to call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy later yesterday “to inform him of the conversation.” The US president said he and Putin invited each other to visit their respective nations.

As of February 12, 2025, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continued with significant developments on both military and diplomatic fronts.

Recent reports indicate that Russia has launched a substantial attack on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, involving 124 drones and 19 missiles. The Ukrainian military claimed to have intercepted 57 of these drones.

A study by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) revealed that despite losing 1,400 tanks in the past year, Russia was managing its losses more effectively than Ukraine. Russia’s extensive stockpiles of Soviet-era military equipment and a resilient economy have contributed to its sustained military operations.

In contrast, Ukraine faces challenges with understrength ground units and a shortage of advanced Western equipment.

But in a significant diplomatic move, Trump said he and  Russian  Putin agreed to initiate immediate negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. During what he described as a productive phone call, both leaders emphasised the necessity of ending the conflict.

The development suggests a potential shift towards diplomatic resolutions, although the situation remains dynamic. The international community continues to monitor the conflict closely, with hopes for a peaceful settlement.

“We want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine. President Putin even used my very strong campaign motto of, ‘common sense,’ Trump said.

“We both believe very strongly in it. We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s nations,” he added.

The phone call is the first known conversation between the US president and the Russian leader since Trump took office last month, Bloomberg reported.

Trump’s efforts to appeal to Putin drew widespread scrutiny in his first term, which was marked by a federal investigation into whether Moscow conspired with his campaign to influence the 2016 election.

Trump said he asked Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director, John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor (NSA) Michael Waltz and special Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, to lead the negotiations for the US.