Russian President Vladimir Putin said after meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday that the two leaders had reached an agreement they hope will become the starting point for ending the war in Ukraine and re-establishing pragmatic relations between Moscow and Washington. Putin stated that he "agrees with President Trump" that Ukraine’s security must be guaranteed and said Russia is prepared to work toward that objective. Achieving a durable settlement, he added, will require addressing the conflict’s “root causes” and the “fundamental threats” Moscow perceives to its own security. Calling Ukrainians a “brotherly nation,” Putin described the war as a tragedy and said Russia is “sincerely interested” in halting the fighting. He urged Kyiv and European capitals to respond constructively to the accord.