Trump talks to Putin in first announced call since taking office

President Donald Trump spoke by phone on Wednesday to Russian President Vladimir Putin in their first publicized call since Trump returned to the White House, breaking a years-long silence between the Oval Office and the Kremlin as the U.S. leader kicked off a bid to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Trump had warm words for the Russian leader — who has ruled Russia for 25 years and has repeatedly invaded neighboring nations and killed, imprisoned or exiled his most formidable opposition — as he declared that the two men would visit each other’s countries and “agreed to work together, very closely.”

The call, which the Kremlin said lasted nearly 90 minutes, came the same day that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told NATO allies that Ukraine’s stated goal of reclaiming its full internationally recognized territory was “unrealistic.”

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