President Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for 90 minutes Wednesday. Trump said they agreed to meet soon and immediately begin negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Trump then held a separate call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

This came as U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke in Brussels, where he said a return to Ukraine’s prewar borders is “unrealistic.” Hegseth also ruled out Ukraine’s future membership in NATO. In response, Germany and other European nations criticized the U.S. for granting Russia major concessions before peace talks have even started. Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has traveled to Kyiv to discuss a Trump proposal for Ukraine to give the U.S. access to its natural resources in exchange for continued U.S. military assistance.

The Trump-Putin call came after Russia freed the American teacher Marc Fogel in exchange for a Russian jailed for cybercrimes. Belarus has also released three prisoners, including one American and a journalist who works at the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe.