Topline
President Donald Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, a day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with Trump as Ukraine seeks long-range Tomahawk missiles from the U.S.
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a joint press conference after concluding their talks in Anchorage, Alaska, the United States, on Aug. 15, 2025. (Photo by Wu Xiaoling/Xinhua via Getty Images)
Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images
Key Facts
Trump said “I am speaking to President Putin now” at 11:21 a.m. EDT, making the announcement on Truth Social.
Trump said “the conversation is ongoing, a lengthy one” and he and Putin will report details when it ends.
Trump told reporters over the weekend he would likely speak to Putin about the prospects of giving Ukraine long-range missiles that could allow strikes deeper in Russian territory and potentially mark a major escalation in the war.
“I might tell him that if the war is not settled, that we may very well—we may not, but we may do it,” Trump said Sunday aboard Air Force One, referring to Putin and the prospects of supplying Ukraine with the missiles.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/10/16/trump-having-lengthy-conversation-with-putin-before-fridays-meeting-with-zelenskyy/
