Putin-Trump Phone Chat #2

The Kremlin's readout

Here’s the straight edited translation of the Kremlin’s readout of the second publicly acknowledged phone chat between Presidents Putin and Trump. One publication says the call lasted three hours:

The leaders continued a detailed and frank exchange of views on the situation around Ukraine. Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude to Donald Trump for his desire to contribute to the achievement of the noble goal of ending hostilities and human losses.

Confirming principled commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict, the President of Russia declared his readiness to work together with his American partners to carefully study possible ways to resolve the conflict, which should be comprehensive, sustainable and long-term. And, of course, take into account the unconditional need to address the root causes of the crisis and Russia's legitimate security interests.

In the context of the initiative of the President of the United States to introduce a 30-day truce, the Russian side outlined a number of significant points regarding ensuring effective control over a possible ceasefire along the entire line of contact, the need to stop forced mobilization in Ukraine and rearmament of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Serious risks associated with the inability of the Kiev regime, which has repeatedly sabotaged and violated the agreements reached, were also noted. Attention was drawn to the barbaric terrorist crimes committed by Ukrainian militants against the civilian population of the Kursk Region.

It was emphasized that the key condition for preventing the escalation of the conflict and working towards its resolution through political and diplomatic means should be the complete cessation of foreign military assistance and the provision of intelligence information to Kiev.

In connection with Donald Trump's recent appeal to save the lives of Ukrainian servicemen surrounded in the Kursk region, Vladimir Putin confirmed that the Russian side is ready to be guided by humanitarian considerations and, in the event of surrender, guarantees the lives and dignity of the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in accordance with Russian laws and international law.

In the course, Donald Trump put forward a proposal for the parties to the conflict to mutually refuse to strike energy infrastructure facilities for 30 days. Vladimir Putin responded positively to this initiative and immediately gave the Russian military the appropriate command.

Likewise The President of Russia reacted constructively to the idea expressed by Donald Trump to implement the well-known initiative concerning the safety of navigation in the Black Sea. It was agreed to start talks for additional elaboration of the specific details of such an agreement.

Vladimir Putin informed that on March 19, the Russian and Ukrainian sides will exchange prisoners: 175 for 175 people. In addition, as a gesture of goodwill, 23 seriously wounded Ukrainian servicemen will be handed over, who are being treated in Russian medical institutions.

The leaders reaffirmed their intention to continue efforts to achieve a Ukrainian settlement in a bilateral mode, including taking into account the above-mentioned proposals of the President United States. For this purpose, Russian and American expert groups are being created.

Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump also touched upon other issues on the international agenda, including the situation in the Middle East and the Red Sea region. Joint efforts will be made to stabilize the situation in crisis points, to establish cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation and global security. This, in turn, will contribute to the improvement of the general atmosphere of Russian-American relations. One of the positive examples is the solidarity vote in the UN on the resolution on the Ukrainian conflict.

They expressed mutual interest in normalising bilateral relations in the light of the special responsibility of Russia and the United States for ensuring security and stability in the world. In this context, a wide range of areas in which our countries could establish cooperation was considered. A number of ideas were discussed that are moving towards the development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the economy and energy in the future.

Donald Trump supported Vladimir Putin's idea to organize hockey matches in the United States and Russia between Russian and American players playing in the NHL and KHL.

The Presidents agreed to stay in touch on all the issues raised. [My Emphasis]

I can guess where most of the time was spent, and it wasn’t about Ukraine: “In this context, a wide range of areas in which our countries could establish cooperation was considered.” Most of what was discussed about Ukraine mostly echoed what Putin said in his polite Nyet. The agreement to not target energy installations is a nothingburger that the Ukies will likely violate soon thus reinforcing their untrustworthiness. Again, no mention of elections in the readout. Also note the fact that the actual negotiating teams have yet to be formed: “For this purpose, Russian and American expert groups are being created.” Many would like to know what Putin specifically said about Palestine and Yemen, but what was said about West Asia was left vague. Again, the problem exists that one of the actors was absent from the chat—Ukraine this time. How will Trump get Zelensky to agree to what Trump committed him to? What’s missing from the announcement of expert groups being created is again no Ukraine. At some point that portion of the circus needs to be closed down and a new tent erected that includes all the actors. That will bring up yet again the issue of why the Outlaw US Empire is involved in the negotiations—either Ukraine is sovereign and provided its own legitimate representatives or it formally appoints the Empire as its agent, or Ukraine isn’t sovereign and the conflict is actually between Russia and NATO/Outlaw US Empire.

Clearly, many critical, key questions need to be resolved before any actual, serious talks can begin. Yes, there are many areas having nothing to do with Ukraine that Russia and the Outlaw US Empire need to discuss. But as we saw again at the Entrepreneurs Congress that Russia has no trust in any Western actor at all—even their legal systems are junk—worthless. I don’t know how those seriously wounded Ukie soldiers feel about being handed over to Ukie care. I hope they’re given a choice.

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