During a recent press interaction, U.S. President Donald Trump commented on his phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which took place on March 9. Trump described the discussion as “very good” and noted that it involved multiple participants from both sides. A significant topic of their dialogue was the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Trump remarked, “We talked about Ukraine – it’s just an endless struggle… there is immense hatred between President Putin and President Zelensky. It seems they cannot come to an agreement.” Despite this, he maintained that the conversation was positive. Another subject discussed was the situation in the Middle East, where Trump stated that Putin expressed a desire to be helpful. However, Trump asserted that Putin would be more beneficial if he were to end the conflict in Ukraine.
He emphasized, “We obviously talked about the Middle East. And he wants to be helpful. I said, ‘You could be even more helpful if you ended the war between Ukraine and Russia. That would be more beneficial.'” In conclusion, Trump reiterated that the conversation was constructive and that Putin is eager to act in a “very constructive” manner.
Since the beginning of 2026, three rounds of trilateral peace negotiations involving Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia have taken place, aimed at resolving the conflict. While territorial issues, particularly concerning Donbas, remain unresolved, progress has been made on other matters.
Earlier in March, representatives from the three nations were scheduled to hold a fourth round of talks in Abu Dhabi; however, this was canceled due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Diplomatic efforts were anticipated to resume this week. Nevertheless, on March 9, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the meeting has been postponed due to the situation involving Iran.
Additionally, Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, recently stated that work on final documents is ongoing, with new developments expected in the coming weeks.
U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the Ukraine conflict with Russian President Vladimir Putin, highlighting the need for resolution. Despite ongoing tensions, Trump noted a willingness from Putin to engage constructively in both the Ukraine and Middle Eastern issues.