US President Donald Trump spoke with Russian leader Vladimir Putin for nearly 90 minutes on Saturday, US Independence Day. During the call, Trump offered assistance in finding a solution to the Ukraine war, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.
Ushakov said Trump made the offer during the call in the context of his participation next week at the NATO summit in Turkey. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also spoke with Trump.
“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 of Trump’s call with Putin.
Ushakov described the conversation as “business-like and quite constructive.” He accused Kyiv and its European allies of “counting on extending and even escalating the conflict, and on terrorism against civilians.”
Russian commanders told Putin on Friday that Moscow’s troops had captured the strategically important city of Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region. Zelensky dismissed this claim, saying Kyiv’s forces still controlled the city.
Russia has said any solution must include Moscow assuming full control over Ukraine’s Donbas region. Ukraine rejects this assertion, and Zelensky urged Putin last month to hold a one-on-one meeting with him, but the Kremlin leader refused.
Ushakov quoted Trump as saying that Washington’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would keep trying to broker a settlement and were prepared to make another visit to Moscow. US diplomatic efforts have virtually stalled as Washington is focused on the war with Iran.
Putin expressed hope during the call that US diplomatic efforts in the Iran conflict would “allow for mutually acceptable long-term solutions to be found on key issues of a settlement.”
Zelensky, writing on his Telegram account, described his conversation with Trump as “very good,” including a discussion on the war’s 1,200-km front line. He said there is a real prospect to ending this war and American resolve will have a crucial meaning.