US President Donald Trump has offered to help find a solution to the war in Ukraine during a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said, while also holding a separate call
with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the NATO summit in Turkey.
According to Reuters, Trump spoke to Putin for nearly 90 minutes on Saturday, with Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov saying the US President reiterated Washington’s willingness to help end the conflict.
“The American President once again confirmed his readiness to work towards a rapid end to the fighting and find solutions to overcome the crisis,” Ushakov said.
Reuters reported that Ushakov described the conversation as “business-like and quite constructive”.
They said Russia continued to seek “a political-diplomatic resolution of the conflict, with due account of Russia’s fundamental approach.”
The discussion took place in the context of Trump’s participation in the NATO summit in Turkey next week.
Ushakov said Putin used the conversation to present Russia’s assessment of the conflict, telling Trump that Russian forces were making steady gains on the battlefield.
Putin “depicted the real situation on the battlefield where the Russian armed forces are confidently advancing, liberating one locality after another,” Ushakov said.
Ushakov also accused Kyiv and its European allies of “counting on extending and even escalating the conflict, and on terrorism against civilians,” Reuters reported.
He was referring to Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian targets, mainly linked to Russia’s oil industry, which Moscow says have caused fuel shortages in several regions.
Reuters further reported that Russian commanders informed Putin on Friday that Moscow’s troops had captured the strategically important city of Kostiantynivka in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
However, Zelenskiy and Ukraine’s General Staff rejected that claim on Saturday, saying Ukrainian forces remained in control of the city.
Russia maintains that any settlement must include Moscow assuming full control over Ukraine’s Donbas region, a demand Kyiv continues to reject.
US ENVOYS TO CONTINUE DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS
Reuters reported that Trump told Putin that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would continue trying to broker a settlement and were prepared to make another visit to Moscow.
According to Reuters, Ushakov said US diplomatic efforts on Ukraine had largely stalled as Washington focused on the conflict involving Iran.
During the call, Putin also expressed hope that American diplomacy on Iran would “allow for mutually acceptable long-term solutions to be found on key issues of a settlement.”
Reuters added that Putin reminded Trump that he had an open invitation to visit Moscow.
Zelenskyy also spoke with Trump on Saturday and described the conversation as “very good.”
Writing on Telegram, Zelenskyy said the two leaders discussed the situation along the 1,200-km front line.
“There is a real prospect to end this war, and American resolve will have a crucial meaning,” he said.
Reuters reported that Zelenskyy said he and Trump agreed to continue discussions during the NATO summit.
AFP reported that both the Trump-Putin and Trump-Zelenskyy phone calls were held on Saturday to mark the 250th birthday of the United States, according to both sides.
AFP further reported that heads of state and delegations from 32 countries, including Trump, are expected to arrive in Ankara from Tuesday for the NATO summit.
