Kremlin Can't 'Confirm or Deny' Report of Trump-Putin Call

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FEB 9

Above: Donald Trump (R) and Vladimir Putin during the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. Image copyright: Brendan Smialowski/Contributor/AFP via Getty Imagesstory last updated FEB 10

The Facts

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Sunday said he could "neither confirm nor deny" a New York Post report of a phone call between US Pres. Donald Trump and Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin about ending the Ukraine war.
In an interview with The Post aboard Air Force One Friday, Trump reportedly said he had spoken with Putin "to end this damn thing." However, he declined to specify how many times they had communicated.
He also expressed his intention to meet with Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy next week and revealed plans to secure a $500M deal for access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals and gas in exchange for security guarantees.

The Spin

Pro-Trump narrative

The war in Ukraine needs immediate resolution to stop the devastating loss of life, and direct communication with Putin shows promising progress toward peace negotiations. A concrete plan exists to end the conflict swiftly, and Putin has demonstrated genuine concern about battlefield casualties.

New York Post

Pro-Russia narrative

While various diplomatic channels remain active between Moscow and Washington, no serious discussions about potential meetings have taken place. Russia maintains that any peace deal must include Ukraine's commitment to neutrality, demilitarization, and recognition of territorial changes.

RT