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President Donald Trump announced in an interview published on Feb 8 that he has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Getty Images via CNN Newsource)
By Betsy Klein and Samantha Waldenberg, CNN
(CNN) — President Donald Trump announced in an interview published Saturday that he has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“He wants to see people stop dying,” Trump told the New York Post.
It was not immediately clear when the leaders spoke or if they had spoken since Trump took office in January, and how many times. CNN has reached out to the National Security Council for clarification.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNN he “can neither deny nor confirm this news.” He added that Washington and Moscow talk “through different channels” the more the Trump administration “is gaining activity.”
“So… there could be something I don’t know,” said Peskov.
Trump said in the interview he “better not say” how many times he had spoken with Putin but touted a “good relationship” with his Russian counterpart.
The US president expressed hope that Putin’s war in Ukraine, which is approaching its third anniversary, ends “fast.” He had previously vowed to end the conflict within 24 hours of taking office.
“I hope it’s fast. Every day people are dying. This war is so bad in Ukraine. I want to end this damn thing,” he told the New York Post.
Trump said earlier this week that talks to end the war had “made a lot of progress.”
During the interview, which took place as Trump traveled aboard Air Force One to Florida on Friday, the president directed his national security adviser, Mike Waltz, to “get these meetings going.”
“They want to meet. Every day people are dying. Young handsome soldiers are being killed. Young men, like my sons. On both sides. All over the battlefield,” he said.
On Friday, the president told reporters that he would “probably” meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this upcoming week and hinted that he planned to also talk with Putin.
“I will probably be meeting with President Zelensky next week, and I will probably be talking to President Putin,” Trump said.
Zelensky is expected to lead Ukraine’s delegation at the Munich Security Conference, which Vice President JD Vance and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg are also scheduled to attend, but not Trump.
Earlier this week, Trump said that he wants to secure access to Ukraine’s supply of rare earth minerals in exchange for continued US assistance to the country.
“We’re looking to do a deal with Ukraine, where they’re going to secure what we’re giving them with their rare earths and other things,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, complaining that Europe had not provided Ukraine the same level of aid as the US.
The transactional proposal offers some insight into Trump’s intentions when it comes to the Ukraine war. He has long complained about the US burden in arming Kyiv, but hasn’t detailed his plans for halting or continuing support since taking office.
The Kremlin told CNN earlier this week there have been no serious discussions about a possible meeting between Trump and Putin.
“They haven’t had any initial contact to discuss whether they need to meet or not and if they need, when and how,” Peskov said.
Amid growing anticipation of contact between the two leaders, a senior Russian lawmaker told state media that “advanced” preparations were underway for a meeting, possibly as early as this month.
The-CNN-Wire
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