President Donald Trump has spoken on the phone with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to try to find an end to the now nearly three-years long war in Ukraine, he told the New York Post in an interview on Friday. "He wants to see people stop dying," Trump said. "All those dead people. Young, young, beautiful people. They're like your kids, 2 million of them—and for no reason."

President Donald Trump has revealed that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine, asserting that the conflict “never would have happened” had he been in office in 2022.

President Trump has spoken to Russian leader Vladimir Putin on the phone to try to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war, he told The Post in an exclusive interview aboard Air Force One Friday. “I’d better not say,” said Trump when asked how many times the two leaders have spoken. But he believes Putin “does care” about the killing on the battlefield. The three-year-old war “never would have happened” if he had been president in 2022, Trump asserted. “I always had a good relationship with Putin,” he said, unlike his predecessor. “Biden was an embarrassment to our nation. A complete embarrassment.” Trump said he has a concrete plan to end the war. “I hope it’s fast. Every day people are dying. This war is so bad in Ukraine. I want to end this damn thing.” Addressing National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, who joined him in his study aboard Air Force One Friday night, the president said: “Let’s get these meetings going. They want to meet. Every day people are dying. Young handsome soldiers are being killed. Young men, like my sons. On both sides. All over the battlefield.” Vice President Vance will meet Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference next week. Trump has said he wants to strike a $500 million deal with Zelensky to access rare-earth minerals and gas in Ukraine in exchange for security guarantees in any potential peace settlement.