Kremlin denies Trump phone call, says West is not ready for peace talks

On Monday, November 11, 2024, Russia denied reports that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump had called President Vladimir Putin to discuss the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin said it was not aware of any such call and claimed that the West was not yet ready for talks to end the conflict.

According to a Washington Post report on Sunday, November 10, Trump allegedly spoke with Putin on Thursday, November 7, telling the Russian president not to escalate the war. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the report “false” and said no such phone call had taken place.

Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. election has sparked debate over how it could impact the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Trump had previously said during his campaign that he could end the conflict quickly and has suggested direct talks with Putin as part of a solution. But Trump has not shared how he plans to negotiate peace or what conditions he might propose.

On Sunday, November 10, Trump did speak with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and the two leaders agreed to work together towards peace in Europe. However, Peskov said there were no plans for Putin to hold talks with Scholz and that it was too early to tell if European leaders’ views on Ukraine were shifting.

Peskov added that Russia had not received any signals suggesting a change in Europe’s stance, saying, “We see a certain nervousness, various fears among Europeans over Trump’s election.” He emphasized that Putin has been open to talks but insisted that no negotiations were being prepared for now.

Meanwhile, fighting continues in Ukraine, where Russia has made significant gains in the eastern region of Donetsk. Ukrainian officials have long called for the West to send long-range weapons to help defend against Russian advances.

Peskov said that no weapons could change the course of the war and that the West must choose between continuing to support Ukraine or starting peace talks with Russia. He also argued that the West should face the “current realities” of the situation in Ukraine and begin negotiating with Russia.

As of Monday, November 11, Russian airstrikes killed at least six people in Ukraine, following a weekend of intense fighting, including drone attacks from both sides.

In reaction to Trump’s victory, Peskov suggested there might be hope for peace talks, saying, “At least he’s talking about peace, and not confrontation.” According to the Washington Post, during the reported phone call, Trump reminded Putin of Washington’s military presence in Europe and expressed a desire for talks to resolve the war soon. Trump also reportedly raised the issue of territory, with Putin insisting that Ukraine withdraw from parts of the eastern and southern regions as a condition for peace talks.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that there should be “no concessions” to Putin, fearing that any agreement that benefits Russia could encourage further aggression from the Kremlin.