- Trump offered to help find a solution to the Ukraine war during a nearly 90-minute telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov.
- The offer was made in the context of Trump's participation at the NATO summit in Turkey next week.
- U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will continue their efforts to broker a settlement and are prepared to visit Moscow again.
- Putin provided Trump with a realistic assessment of the battlefield situation in Ukraine, where Russian commanders claimed to have captured the city of Kostiantynivka.
- However, Zelensky and Ukraine's General Staff rejected this claim, asserting they still control the city.
- Zelenskyy also spoke with Trump, describing their conversation as 'very good' and discussing the war's 1,200km frontline.
- Zelenskyy noted that there is a real prospect to end the war and emphasized the importance of American resolve.
U.S. President Donald Trump engaged in a nearly 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, offering to assist in finding a resolution to the ongoing Ukraine war, as reported by Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov. This conversation took place ahead of Trump's participation in the upcoming NATO summit in Turkey.2
Ushakov noted that Trump expressed a commitment to work towards a rapid end to the conflict, stating that U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would continue their efforts to broker a settlement and were prepared for another visit to Moscow. The Kremlin's assessment of the battlefield situation was shared, with Putin claiming that Russian forces were making significant advances, including the capture of the strategically important city of Kostiantynivka.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky refuted this claim, asserting that Ukrainian forces still controlled the city. Zelensky described his conversation with Trump as “very good,” emphasizing the potential for a diplomatic resolution and the importance of American involvement in ending the war. He stated, “There is a real prospect to end this war and American resolve will have a crucial meaning.”7
The discussions between Trump and Zelensky are set to continue at the NATO meeting, highlighting the ongoing international efforts to address the conflict in Ukraine.
“The nearly 90-minute call took place ahead of Trump's participation at the NATO summit in Turkey next week, where he is expected to continue discussions. Zelenskiy later described his separate call with Trump as 'very good' and said there is a 'real prospect' to end the war, though Ukraine denied Russia's claim of capturing Kostiantynivka.”
The Moscow Times
The Guardian
