President Donald Trump has agreed in principle to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal for a series of hockey games between the United States and Russia. The agreement was reached during a nearly three-hour phone conversation between the two leaders on Tuesday.
During the call, Putin reportedly suggested organizing hockey matches featuring players from both countries’ premier leagues. According to a statement released by the Russian government, the games would feature athletes from the U.S. National Hockey League (NHL) and Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
“Donald Trump supported Vladimir Putin’s idea to organize hockey matches in the USA and Russia between Russian and American players playing in the NHL and KHL,” the Kremlin stated in an official press release, as reported by Yahoo News.
While Trump expressed general support for the idea, further details and scheduling will be determined at a later date. “The presidents agreed to stay in touch on all issues raised,” the Kremlin statement added.
The proposal comes at a time when Russia has faced widespread isolation from international sporting events following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Shortly after the conflict began, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) imposed a ban on Russian teams from participating in its sanctioned tournaments, significantly limiting Russia’s presence in the global hockey community.
The last time Russian hockey players competed on an international stage was during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, where Russia secured a silver medal. The tournament concluded just before Russian forces launched their invasion of Ukraine.
If the proposed U.S.-Russia hockey series comes to fruition, it would mark a rare moment of sports diplomacy amid ongoing geopolitical tensions between the two nations. The initiative could serve as an opportunity for both countries to foster engagement through sports despite broader political and military conflicts.
