The current Ukraine peace initiative is fundamentally a tale of two phone calls—or, more broadly, two direct lines of communication that President Donald Trump has cultivated with both Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin. This places him in the unique position of being a direct interlocutor with both warring leaders.
The first line of communication is with Zelenskyy, solidified during his recent visit to Washington. This ensures the U.S. and Ukraine are aligned on their goals for the peace process, particularly regarding the separation of territorial talks from security guarantee negotiations.
The second, and perhaps more critical, line is with Putin. The White House is framing a recent Trump-Putin phone call as the pivotal moment where the agreement for a summit was reached. This direct channel allows Trump to bypass traditional diplomatic bureaucracy and engage in personal, leader-to-leader negotiation.
By maintaining these two separate and direct lines, Trump has positioned himself as the indispensable hub in the peace process. He can relay messages, gauge red lines, and apply pressure in a way that no other world leader currently can. The success of the entire initiative hinges on his ability to manage this delicate triangular relationship.