Donald Trump's latest move on Russia and Ukraine slammed as 'great betrayal'

US president Donald Trump has stunned his European allies after with an announcement that he and Russian president Vladimir Putin have agreed to start negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.

“I just had a lengthy and highly productive phone call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

“We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation … Millions of people have died in a War that would not have happened if I were President, but it did happen, so it must end. No more lives should be lost!”

It was during this "lengthy and highly productive" phone call that he also expressed scepticism about Ukraine's ability to reclaim all of its territory or join NATO as part of any future agreement.

"They took a lot of land, and they fought for that land and they lost a lot of soldiers," Trump later said to reporters in the Oval Office, noting it was "unlikely" Ukraine would regain significant territory.

"I’m not making an opinion on it, but I’ve read a lot on it, and a lot of people think that’s unlikely. Some of it will come back. I think some of it will come back, yeah."

While Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky has since responded by saying unless Kyiv is involved in negotiations, his country will not accept a peace deal struck between the US and Russia, he also admitted that it was "not pleasant" to learn that Trump had spoken to Putin first.

Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

“As an independent country we simply cannot accept any agreements without us. And I articulate this very clearly to our partners. We will not accept any bilateral negotiations on Ukraine without us,” Zelensky said on Thursday (February 13).

News of Trump's recent move to sideline Ukraine has also taken Europe by surprise.

"There can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine," said the UK's defence secretary John Healey on the matter.

While German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said it was "regrettable" that "the Trump administration has already made public concessions to Putin before negotiations have even begun."

"All we need is peace. A JUST PEACE. Ukraine, Europe and the United States should work on this together. TOGETHER," wrote Poland's Prime Minister, Donald Tusk on X, formerly Twitter.

This latest development has spurred a lot of reaction on social media, with many criticising Trump.

UK Liberal Democrats leader, Ed Davey warned that if Ukraine is forced to surrender its sovereign territory to Russia, "it will be the greatest betrayal of a European ally since Poland in 1945".

He added: "The UK must lead in Europe in defence of Ukraine. We cannot stand back and watch as Zelensky is bullied by Trump".

"President Musk-Trump suggests that since Russia 'fought for that land' in Ukraine 'and lost a lot of soldiers' doing it, that Russia should keep it," said another user on X, formerly Twitter, and didn't hold back in calling Trump a "piece of s***".

Someone else added: "Trump implies that since Russia 'fought for that land' in Ukraine 'and lost alot of soldiers' doing it, that Russia should keep it. I can't remember a darker day for the democratic world."

"Any good explanation on why Trump would hand over concessions to Russia BEFORE securing any gains? It looks very weak?" asked business woman and Dragons Den star Deborah Meaden.

Another user commented: "Aside from betraying democracy and an ally, Ukraine, Trump’s approach to ending the war will surely fail. Putin is a proven untrustworthy negotiating partner intent on destroying Ukraine as a sovereign state. And Trump’s ‘deal’ will divide NATO to the benefit of Russia and China".

Elsewhere, Donald Trump's Ukraine comments slammed as 'dark day for the democratic world' and Trump tries and fails to explain how he'll bring down grocery prices.

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