President Trump and Putin have had a lengthy phone call discussing a potential ceasefire deal in Ukraine. The deal may include concessions from Ukraine, such as ceding land or giving up NATO membership, while the US is putting pressure on Ukraine to agree to the deal. Caroline Malone reports from Washington D.C.
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00:00Well, absolutely as far as we know they are still talking and this is a phone call now
00:04That's gone on for more than two hours quite a lengthy phone call between President Putin and President Trump
00:10Can we read anything into that potentially? Yes, we know that President Trump has gone into this call saying that he's optimistic
00:16He thinks that a deal can be reached
00:18He thinks that ultimately both Ukraine and Russia will agree to a ceasefire
00:21But it seems it's taken at least two hours to work out some of the details of whether this in fact will move forward
00:28Incredibly important to note as well that Trump wants this done. He wants the u.s. To withdraw from Ukraine support overall
00:35I believe that
00:37You know
00:38We could hear in the coming hours whether this ceasefire deal has in fact been agreed to and also potentially some of the details
00:45What the u.s. Has agreed to with regard to Russia what the current status would be going forward
00:51With regard to who controls which land we know of course that Russia has taken some of the land of Ukraine in recent years
00:57Will Ukraine have to cede some of that land to Russia as part of this wider deal?
01:01Will Ukraine have to agree or will European leaders have to agree that Ukraine will never be part of NATO?
01:08That's something we know has been on the cards the u.s. Has spoken about that being something that's realistic going forward
01:14You know there's even been suggestions that Ukraine might have to essentially give up 20% of its land
01:21Some analysts saying as much as 25%
01:23But you know even once this call is done if President Trump does get Putin to agree to some of these terms
01:29He then has to go back to Ukraine
01:31He then has to go back to
01:33President Zelensky and get Zelensky to agree and of course the allies in Europe who are
01:39Continuing to agree to back Ukraine. You know they are increasingly stepping up their military spending because the u.s. Is reducing theirs
01:46We've had that conversation happening between the UK Prime Minister Starmer
01:50Just last week with military leaders from around the region talking about a coalition of the willing talking about
01:56Beefing up their own security potentially having even boots on the ground in Ukraine some suggestion. They could make up some kind of ceasefire
02:04Peacekeeping force that could be along the border all of these details though are not just difficult for Russia to agree upon
02:10But also then for Ukraine to say yes, it will accept some of these terms
02:15I think if we do get an agreement of a deal today
02:17We're likely to then see the Ukrainian president Zelensky back in the White House pretty soon
02:23Because the u.s.
02:24Will then want to put any remaining pressure it can on Ukraine to make sure this moves forward because that's ultimately what President Trump
02:30What the White House wants is to get this deal done and to stop the u.s.
02:34Having to supply Ukraine with all these military aid Caroline. Thank you for that our correspondent Caroline Malone in Washington