President Donald Trump announced he was speaking with Russia's Vladimir Putin in real time Thursday.
"I am speaking to President Putin now," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "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!"
A White House official earlier confirmed the call to Newsmax.
Trump had told White House reporters he was discussing sending Tomahawk cruise missiles to NATO and, therefore, Ukraine.
The conversation came one day before Trump was set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House to discuss the potential transfer of Tomahawks.
Trump said last week he told Zelenskyy he might issue Putin an ultimatum: Either engage in serious peace talks or face Ukraine being armed with Tomahawks.
The back-to-back engagements highlight the administration's attempt to pressure Moscow while keeping diplomatic options open.
Asked by reporters at the White House last week whether he had decided on supplying Ukraine with Tomahawks, Trump did not rule it out, saying he had "sort of made a decision" on the matter.
"I think I want to find out what they're doing with them," he said. "Where are they sending them? I guess I'd have to ask that question."
"I would ask some questions. I'm not looking to escalate that war," he added.
Trump has noted there will be no more free weapons or aid deliveries to Ukraine, telling NATO it can buy the weapons and distribute them to Ukraine as he focuses on being the broker of peace between the long-warring neighbors.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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