President-elect Trump's transition team has neither confirmed nor denied that the 2024 election winner told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call last week not to escalate the war with Ukraine.
The Washington Post reported that Putin and Trump met on Thursday, marking the first meeting between the two leaders since Trump won a return to the Oval Office last Tuesday.
President Trump reportedly received a call from Florida advising President Putin not to escalate the war in Ukraine. The president-elect also reminded the Russian president about the size of U.S. troops in Europe, a person familiar with the call told the paper on condition of anonymity.
Additionally, while the two men discussed the goal of peace in Europe, Trump also expressed a desire for further talks on “an early resolution of the war in Ukraine,” multiple sources told the Post.
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Trump's transition team has commented on the president-elect's private phone calls with other world leaders, responding to a Washington Post report that Trump told Putin not to escalate the war with Ukraine. He said he would not. (Gabriel Grigorov/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
When asked by Fox News for comment on this report, the Trump campaign issued the following statement:
“We do not comment on President Trump's private calls with other world leaders,” Trump Communications Director Stephen Chan said in a statement. “President Trump decisively won a historic election and leaders around the world know America will once again demonstrate prominence on the world stage. “We have begun the process of building a stronger relationship with the 47th president, because he represents peace and stability in the world.” ”
The statement came just two days after a senior Ukrainian official confirmed to Fox News that billionaire Elon Musk took part in Wednesday's phone call with President Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
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President-elect Donald Trump arrives to speak at an election night event in West Palm Beach, Florida, on November 6, 2024. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Musk's unexpected appearance at the first official meeting between Trump and Zelensky may be a sign that the SpaceX CEO is influencing the incoming Trump administration.
“I had a great phone call with President Trump and congratulated him on his historic landslide victory. His great campaign made this result possible,” Zelenskiy wrote on X.
Details of Musk's exact role were not disclosed, Axios reported, but sources said he continued to support Ukraine through the Starlink satellite network, a vital service for Ukraine's wartime communications. He has indicated his intention to do so.
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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky (Pool photo via Christoph Soeder, AP/File)
Through his election campaign, Trump expresses skepticism He spoke of continued U.S. aid to Ukraine and emphasized the early resolution of the conflict with Russia, which has caused concern across Europe.
Trump pledged support for Zelenskiy during the 25-minute phone call, but did not elaborate on policy or military aid. Axios first reported Musk's presence on the conference call, but Musk has not yet commented.
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The call was the first of many between Trump's team and Zelenskiy's advisers as the two countries seek U.S. involvement in the ongoing conflict. It is expected that
Fox News Digital's Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
