- Trump and Putin held an hour-long phone call, described as 'constructive and quite frank' by Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov.
- The Kremlin stated that Trump expressed a desire for the US to restore ties with Moscow.
- Putin shared Russia's assessment of the battlefield situation and discussed what Washington could do to expedite an end to the fighting.
- The phone call follows meetings held by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss a proposal to end the war.
- Despite the meetings being praised, they produced no breakthrough on ending the fighting.
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin held a significant hour-long phone call on Tuesday, described by Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov as 'constructive and quite frank.' The discussion followed meetings between US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin, aimed at addressing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.234
Ushakov noted that the leaders exchanged views on the outcomes of these meetings, highlighting some 'very good, worthwhile ideas' presented. Trump has prioritized ending the war, previously claiming he could achieve a settlement within 24 hours, although he later called that an exaggeration.
The call comes amid escalating violence, with reports of at least three people killed and ten injured in a major Russian air attack on Kyiv. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian attacks on Tuesday resulted in the deaths of five civilians and injuries to 25 others in the capital. Meanwhile, Ukrainian strikes on Russian-annexed Crimea reportedly killed approximately five people.
Despite the diplomatic efforts, the meetings have not produced a breakthrough in ending the fighting, as both sides continue to assess the battlefield situation. Putin emphasized that Russia has no aggressive plans regarding Europe, while Trump expressed a desire to restore US-Russia ties.
As the conflict persists, the international community watches closely for any signs of progress in negotiations to bring an end to Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.
“Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said the two leaders exchanged views on the envoys' visits, calling some ideas 'very good, worthwhile.' The call came after at least three people were killed in a Russian air attack on Kyiv, with officials saying Moscow tried to 'cause as much harm to life as possible.'”
The Independent
