As noted by Braže, any diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict must involve Kyiv. He emphasized that for a successful peace agreement, it is essential to weaken Russia’s influence on the battlefield. According to him, Russia’s entire framework—encompassing its politics, economy, media, and even religious institutions—is heavily focused on warfare. Therefore, it is critical to compel Russia towards peace.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Kremlin disclosed that Trump and Putin had a 90-minute discussion. Concurrently, the U.S. President announced on Truth Social that both leaders have “decided to direct our teams to initiate negotiations immediately.”

Trump also mentioned, “We will start by contacting President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy of Ukraine to update him on our conversation, which I am about to do.”

Earlier on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is not viable and emphasized the need for Europe to take responsibility for its own defense. In a strong response, Zelenskyy retorted later that day, asserting, “Putin is not interested in ending the war,” and urged Trump to offer “genuine security assurances.”

Following his discussion with Trump, Zelenskyy remarked, “No one desires peace more than Ukraine. Together with the United States, we are defining our next actions to halt Russian aggression and achieve a sustainable, dependable peace. As President Trump stated, let’s make it happen.”

He further noted, “We have agreed to stay in touch and organize future meetings.”