CNN
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President Donald Trump announced that discussions aimed at resolving the Ukraine conflict will commence “immediately” following a “lengthy and highly productive” phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday morning.

This conversation marked the first known interaction between the two leaders since Trump took office last month, as he communicates to his advisors his urgency to conclude the Ukraine crisis swiftly.

Officials from the Trump administration expressed optimism that a recent prisoner “exchange” might signal renewed efforts to resolve the war, which soon will enter its fourth year.

Following a prolonged period of silence between Washington and Moscow, the details of Trump’s proposed settlement plan are beginning to take shape.

In a summary of the call shared on Truth Social, Trump noted, “We discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, energy, artificial intelligence, the strength of the Dollar, and various other topics.”

“We both agreed to collaborate closely, including visits to each other’s countries. We have also committed to having our teams start negotiations right away, and I will be reaching out to President Zelenskyy of Ukraine to update him on our conversation,” Trump wrote.

Descriptions from both Washington and Moscow indicated that the call was conducted in a conciliatory spirit.

“President Putin even referenced my strong campaign slogan, ‘COMMON SENSE.’ We both hold this in high regard,” Trump remarked, implying that Putin’s choice of words was intended to resonate with him.

The Kremlin mentioned that Trump and Putin’s discussion lasted for nearly 90 minutes.

Trump had been signaling his intent to engage with Putin for weeks as he seeks to address the Ukraine issue.

As U.S. officials engage in discussions in Europe this week, they are articulating clearer stances on what a resolution to the Ukraine conflict may look like. During a conference in Brussels, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is unlikely, and the U.S. is redirecting its focus to securing its own borders and deterring conflict with China.

Concurrently, Trump has discussed the potential for a deal with Zelensky that involves American access to Ukraine’s valuable rare earth minerals in exchange for ongoing U.S. aid.

Trump reached out to Zelensky shortly after his call with Putin.

In contrast, his predecessor, President Joe Biden, had not spoken to Putin for almost three years, believing that engaging with a leader he regarded as a war criminal would yield little benefit.

The last U.S. president to visit Russia was Barack Obama in 2013 for a G20 summit, while Putin last visited the United States in 2015 for United Nations discussions.

Steve Witkoff, who is expected to be a key negotiator for Trump in the conflict, highlighted earlier on Wednesday that the release of wrongly detained American Marc Fogel serves as “a sign of what possibilities exist” for the future of the war in Ukraine.

“I believe this might indicate how the relationship between President Trump and President Putin could develop moving forward, and what this could mean for global situations and conflicts. They shared a significant friendship, and I see this continuing, which is a positive for the world,” he stated.

Witkoff had a private meeting with Putin in Moscow on Tuesday, as reported by two sources familiar with the encounter.

CNN’s Anna Chernova and Christian Edwards contributed to this report.

This story and headline have been revised with additional updates.