Trump says he's talked with Putin about ending Ukraine war

• This month will mark the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Driving the news: Trump said he "better not say" how many times the two leaders had spoken, according to an interview published Saturday. It was unclear whether the discussions had occurred since he assumed office last month.

• "I hope it's fast. Every day people are dying. This war is so bad in Ukraine. I want to end this damn thing," Trump told the Post.
• He touted his "good relationship" with Putin, whom journalist Bob Woodward reported Trump stayed in touch with after his first term.

The other side: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS state news agency he could not confirm or deny a conversation between the two leaders.

Zoom out: Trump earlier this month said his administration had "made a lot of progress on Russia, Ukraine."

• He pointed to Ukraine's supply of rare earth materials, indicating access to the resources could be a condition of continued U.S. support.

Meanwhile, in a separate NY Post report, Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, said the president was ready to double down on sanctions for Russia to increase pressure to bring about an end to the war.

• Trump threatened just after taking office to levy new tariffs against Russia if it did not agree to a deal to cease fighting, though the number of U.S. imports from Russia has fallen over the past decade.

• During the Biden administration, the U.S. imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Russian companies, imports, oligarchs and beyond.

Catch up quick: The president told the World Economic Forum last month that he wanted to meet with Putin to discuss a possible peace agreement.

• After previously promising to end the conflict in a day, the White House's timeline has stretched to months as the war continues.

Go deeper: Trump says he will meet with Putin to discuss end of Russia-Ukraine war