White House says some employees were fired by mistake

Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed.

Putin agreed with Trump that a long-term settlement in Ukraine can be achieved through negotiations, Peskov said.

The two leaders spoke for about an hour and a half, Peskov said.

Putin and Trump discussed the Middle East settlement and bilateral relations between Russia and the U.S., he said. They also agreed to organize a personal meeting, Peskov said.

Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke for about an hour early Wednesday afternoon, Zelenskyy’s spokesperson told ABC News.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, the lone Republican to cast a vote against Tulsi Gabbard's nomination to serve as director of national intelligence, said in a statement that Gabbard "failed to demonstrate" that she was prepared to take on the job.

He added that Gabbard has had "alarming lapses in judgment" during her career.

– ABC News’ Allison Pecorin

In a lengthy post, President Donald Trump said he talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that they agreed for their teams to "start negotiations immediately" to end the Russia-Ukraine War. Trump said his first step will be to call Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which he says he is doing now.

"We both believe very strongly in it. We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations. 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, something which I will be doing right now." he wrote in the post.

The president also thanked Putin for the release of Marc Fogel.

-- ABC News' Mary Bruce

The Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard to serve as director of national intelligence by a vote of 52-48 on Wednesday.

Former Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was the only Republican to break ranks and vote against Gabbard's nomination. All other Republicans voted for Gabbard and all Democrats voted against her.

Prior to the vote, Majority Leader John Thune laid into Democrats for their unified efforts to block and oppose both her and Robert F. Kennedy Jr's nominations, arguing that their lack of willingness to support Trump's picks demonstrates how "out of step" with America the party has become.

Gabbard cleared a key Senate test vote Monday night and was expected to be confirmed.

– ABC News' Allison Pecorin