Richard Arnold: US Correspondent on the peace talks to end the war in Ukraine beginning

Donald Trump says talks to end Ukraine's war will start immediately, although the US is indicating it won't regain all its territory. 

A prisoner exchange is also likely. 

The US President's spoken with Russia's Vladimir Putin, calling the phone call "lengthy and productive". 

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says it's "unrealistic" to think Ukraine will get all its territory back. 

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that while Ukraine's President is not directly saying they’re being sidelined by Trump in the negotiations, he’s saying it’s “not pleasant” the US President called Putin first.  

Zelenskyy is also saying that Ukraine will not accept any peace effort without the Ukrainians’ direct involvement.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Stateside, Richard Arnold, good morning.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
He's supposed to have had millions of books. Is near you.

Speaker 1 (00:05):
He's got a lot of books, and the books are
going for huge money. And he's got some interesting paperwork
and letters and stuff like that. If you want some glasses,
some of Dame mi Dn's glasses, Richard, just give me
the word and I lum bit on your behalf. No
problems at all. I think I'm fine, Okay, no worries.
Where are we at with this Ukraine, Russia, US, NATO?

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Well, the question is Ukraine being sidelined by Trump? Ukraine's
president Zelenski is not saying so directly, but he is
saying it is quote not pleasant that Trump called Putin first,
asserting the start of peace negotiations of some sort of.
Zelenski saying also that Ukraine will not accept any peace
of it without the Ukrainian's direct involvement. This while Trump
is being disrespectful towards Zelensky. That's when Trump was asked

(00:49):
this particular questions.

Speaker 3 (00:57):
It's an interesting question. I think that we have to
make peace.

Speaker 2 (01:01):
Peace on whose terms. Of course, Trump's dealings with Zelensky
started off kilter when Trump sought to withhold weapons unless
the Ukrainian leader agreed to back up fake stories about Biden.
Since then, a number of Republicans have pulled their political
backing for Ukraine. This ninety minute Trump Putin telephone call
was well. It seemed to be all about authoritarian leadership,

(01:23):
and Trump.

Speaker 3 (01:23):
Says, I'll we dealing with President Putin largely on the phone,
and we ultimately expect to meet. In fact, we expect
that he'll come here and I'll go there, and we're
going to meet.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
So this is a major shift, with the prospect of
Trump and Putin meeting first in Saudi Arabia it seams
at a time yet to be announced, and then perhaps
Putin visiting the White House or Trump in Moscow. As
for Ukraine's Zelensky and the possible enforcement of pro Russian
concessions on Ukraine concerning.

Speaker 3 (01:54):
The war, why's he going to have to do what
he has to do. But you know, Hiss pull numbers
aren't particularly great.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
Germany has protesting what they call quote regrettable Crump concessions
to Putin even before any peace negotiations can begin in
Brussels at NATO. The once Fox Weekend co host no
ow Us Defense Secretary Pete Heap cens has delivered some
other slams towards Ukraine, saying there can be no return
to pre war borders. Then he said also.

Speaker 4 (02:25):
The United States does not believe that NATO membership for
Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement. Instead,
any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and
non European troops. If these troops are deployed as peacekeepers

(02:46):
to Ukraine at any point, they should be deployed as
part of a non NETO mission and they should not
be covered under Article five.

Speaker 2 (02:54):
That is no requirement that an attack on one NATO
member would involve all of them. I eat no America
troops for Ukraine. Hexcess was asked if this means Ukraine
has been cut loose, if Ukraine is being betrayed by
the United States, He said no. The core between Trump
and Putin as their first confirmed conversation since Trump went
back to the White House. Any direct meeting would be

(03:14):
the first between the US and the Russian dictator in
about thirteen years, So a new era at a time
when authoritarian leadership is looking it seems to expand control
of others territories, Ukraine, Taiwan, Gaza. No comment on the
Trump putin contacts by Beijing.

Speaker 1 (03:31):
Trump's up at seven o'clock this morning on tariff, so
we'll watch that with interest. This inflation read this week?
Are we a bit worried?

Speaker 2 (03:37):
I think so. Inflation was seen, of course, by many,
as a key issue in the Trump election win. Trump
promised to deal with inflation from day one of his
new term.

Speaker 3 (03:46):
Starting on day one, we will end inflation. We will
end inflation, and we will make America affordable again.

Speaker 2 (03:53):
Well, not happening. Inflation has going more significantly than it
has in recent times. This raises concerns about the high
level of interest rates, with the Boss of the Fed
saying they have no thought of cutting interest rates in
the immediate future. That is being felt sharply by American consumers.
I'm very concerned. I'm already seeing price differences in their things.

Speaker 4 (04:12):
Like coffee and eggs, pet food.

Speaker 2 (04:15):
Even it is not only consumers who are worried by all.
This being exacerbated by Trump's threats to impose those hefty tariffs.
He says such tariffs would be devastating. The Boss of
Ford says that US carmakers would really be hit badly
by a quote windfall for Asian and European car makers

(04:36):
that Ford Boss says he is contacting lawmakers on Capitol
Hill about that. He says, quote, let's be honest, a
long term twenty five percent tariff across the Mexico and
Canadian border will blow a hole in the US industry
that we have never seen.

Speaker 1 (04:51):
Enjoy week and make we'll see you Monday, appreciate it
very much. In fact, they're talking about total chaos in
the car industry. They've worked out or benchmark have worked
out because of course all the parts or a lot
of the parts and bits and pieces come from Mexico
and Canada. A new car would cost on average five
seven hundred and ninety dollars more than it does currently.

Speaker 2 (05:10):
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