Putin tells Trump Russia will take all of Donbas ahead of NATO summit

The call

On July 4, 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump spoke by phone for 1 hour and 25 minutes. The call was requested by the White House on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of US independence, but quickly turned to the war in Ukraine. According to Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov, Putin asserted that Russia would take the entire Donbas.

No matter how much the Kyiv regime clings to its remaining strongholds, our army will take them without fail.

Ushakov described the conversation as "not only protocol, but substantive and extremely constructive."

Trump's mediation offer

Trump "confirmed once again his readiness to work for a quick end to the fighting and find solutions to overcome the crisis," Ushakov said. The US president mentioned that his envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would continue mediation efforts and were prepared to visit Moscow again. The offer was made in the context of the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara on July 7–8.

Zelenski's separate call

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski also spoke with Trump on July 4, describing the call as "very good." They discussed the 1,200 km front line.

There is a real prospect of ending this war and American determination will be crucial.

Zelenski said he and Trump agreed to continue talks at the NATO meeting.

Battlefield claims and disputes

Putin told Trump that Kyiv and the European Union "proceed from a false perception of the general situation on the front line," Ushakov said. The Russian leader claimed that Russian forces are advancing confidently, "liberating one locality after another." He cited the capture of Kostiantynivka, a strategic city in Donetsk region, announced by the Kremlin on July 3. Ukraine's General Staff and Zelenski rejected that claim, insisting that Ukrainian forces still control the city.

Path to diplomacy

Putin reiterated his preference for a "political-diplomatic solution" that takes into account Russia's "well-known fundamental approaches." At the same time, Ushakov accused Kyiv and its European backers of "prolonging and even escalating the conflict, and resorting to terrorism against civilians," referencing Ukrainian long-range strikes on Russian oil facilities.