Kremlin denies Putin-Trump phone call reported by WP took place

On 11 November, the Kremlin officially denied The Washington Post’s report of a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President-elect Donald Trump regarding Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.

Putin, who ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 after eight years of war in the country’s east, frames the war as a battle between a great Russia and a declining West. Trump’s presidency is expected to impact Russia’s war in Ukraine, as he calls for a swift end to the conflict and questions Washington’s extensive aid to Kyiv. During his campaign, Trump pledged to end the war quickly, though without giving details on his plans, while his aides suggested a de facto freeze in the conflict – a move potentially allowing Russia time to reconstitute its forces and renew its offensive.

According to the Russian state-funded news agency RIA Novosti, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that “there was no conversation” reported by The Washington Post, “this is completely untrue.”

Asked if Putin planned for any contacts with Trump, Peskov said:

“There are no concrete plans yet.”

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry refuted another claim reported by The Washington Post, which stated that Ukrainian officials had prior knowledge of the alleged call and did not object to the conversation. Reuters cited a statement from Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi, who confirmed,

“Reports that the Ukrainian side was informed in advance of the purported conversation are false. Therefore, Ukraine could neither support nor oppose this conversation.”

Meanwhile, Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, did not confirm the exchange, telling AFP in a written statement, “We do not comment on private calls between President Trump and other world leaders.”

Alleged Trump-Putin call

In a 10 November report, The Washington Post cited sources familiar with the 7 November call, claiming that President-elect Trump and President Putin discussed Ukraine, with Trump advising Putin to avoid escalating the war and noting the US’s military presence in Europe as a deterrent. Trump reportedly expressed interest in additional talks to discuss “a resolution to Ukraine’s war soon.”

Sources indicated Ukrainian officials were aware of the conversation and raised no objections. The report also noted that Ukrainian officials expected Trump to engage diplomatically with Putin to address Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

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