OAN Staff Blake Wolf
12:45 PM – Thursday, October 16, 2025
President Donald Trump announced that he had a “lengthy” and “very productive” phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, in which the two world leaders discussed the potential for an end to the war in Ukraine.
Following the conversation, Trump revealed plans for a future summit in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss potential solutions to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. He described the call as a step toward bringing the conflict to a close.
His phone call with Putin comes just a day before the president is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“I am speaking to President Putin now. The conversation is ongoing, a lengthy one, and I will report the contents, as will President Putin, at its conclusion. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump wrote.
President Trump followed up his initial social media post with another, elaborating on the conversation he had with Putin. According to Trump, Putin commended him for securing the Gaza ceasefire and he also praised the First Lady for her efforts to reunite children affected by the Russia-Ukraine war with their families.
“I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, and it was a very productive one. President Putin congratulated me and the United States on the Great Accomplishment of Peace in the Middle East, something that, he said, has been dreamed of for centuries. I actually believe that the Success in the Middle East will help in our negotiation in attaining an end to the War with Russia/Ukraine,” Trump wrote.
“President Putin thanked the First Lady, Melania, for her involvement with children. He was very appreciative, and said that this will continue.”
The president also revealed that he discussed with Putin what U.S.-Russia trade could look like once the war concludes, and announced that U.S. and Russian officials would hold preliminary meetings, paving the way for a direct, in-person meeting between the two leaders.
“At the conclusion of the call, we agreed that there will be a meeting of our High Level Advisors, next week. The United States’ initial meetings will be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, together with various other people, to be designated. A meeting location is to be determined. President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this ‘inglorious War’ between Russia and Ukraine, to an end.”
Trump concluded the post by noting that he has plans to meet with Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday, “where we will discuss my conversation with President Putin, and much more.”
“I believe great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation.”
Trump’s conversation with Putin and subsequent planned meetings suggest further attempts at diplomacy to end the Ukraine-Russia war after recently indicating that he is considering selling Tomahawk missiles to NATO countries to be distributed to Ukraine.
However, the president did not mention the Tomahawk missiles in his conversation, though it is expected to be the topic of conversation during Zelensky’s imminent visit to the White House.
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