Putin and Trump discuss Ukraine in 85-minute call ahead of NATO summit in Ankara
The Kremlin said the two leaders discussed a settlement in Ukraine, with Trump expressing readiness to push for a quick end to the fighting, ahead of the NATO summit in Turkey on July 7-8.
The call
Russian president Vladimir Putin and US president Donald Trump spoke by phone on Saturday, the Kremlin announced. The conversation lasted 85 minutes and took place on the 250th anniversary of US independence. Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy adviser, told the Ria Novosti agency that the two presidents "naturally touched on the issue of a solution in Ukraine, especially in light of Donald Trump's upcoming participation in the NATO summit in Turkey on July 7-8."
Battlefield update
According to Ushakov, Putin outlined the current situation on the front lines, describing Russian forces as advancing confidently. Trump, for his part, declared his readiness to work for a swift end to the hostilities. The Kremlin adviser added that the discussion also covered Iran and the Gulf region.
Putin outlined the current situation on the battlefield, where Russian forces are advancing confidently.
Peace efforts
US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner continue to assist in peace efforts and are prepared to visit Moscow, Ushakov said. The call came shortly before the NATO summit in Ankara, where Trump is expected to participate alongside allied leaders. The summit runs from Tuesday to Wednesday.
- Putin sends congratulatory message to Trump on US Independence Day.
- Putin and Trump hold 85-minute phone call on Ukraine, Iran and the Gulf.
- NATO summit begins in Ankara, with Trump attending.
Congratulatory message
Earlier on Saturday, Putin sent a congratulatory message to Trump on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of US independence. In the message, carried by the Tass agency, Putin stressed that Russia and the United States, as the world's two largest nuclear powers, bear a special responsibility for maintaining international security and stability.
Today Russia and the US, the two largest nuclear powers in the world, have a special responsibility for maintaining international security and stability.
Broader diplomacy
German daily Die Welt reported that Trump also spoke by phone with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on the same day, with the war and a possible resolution among the topics. The flurry of contacts underscores the diplomatic activity surrounding the conflict as the NATO summit approaches.
