WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump told Russian President Vladimir Putin he was ready to assist in finding a resolution to the war in Ukraine during a nearly 90-minute phone conversation, the Kremlin said on Sunday.
According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, Trump extended the offer during Saturday’s call, which coincided with US Independence Day, ahead of his participation in the upcoming Nato summit in Turkiye.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed that he held a separate phone conversation with Trump.
“The 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 while describing Trump’s discussion with Putin.
He characterised the exchange as “business-like and quite constructive” and said Russia continued to seek “a political-diplomatic resolution of the conflict, with due account of Russia’s fundamental approach”.
Ushakov also accused Ukraine and its European allies of “counting on extending and even escalating the conflict, and on terrorism against civilians”, referring to Kyiv’s long-range attacks on Russian targets, particularly oil-related facilities, which Moscow says have caused fuel shortages in several regions.
He added that Putin briefed Trump on developments at the front, saying the Russian military was “confidently advancing, liberating one locality after another”.
Earlier on Friday, Russian military commanders informed Putin that their forces had captured the strategically significant city of Kostiantynivka in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. However, Zelensky and Ukraine’s military leadership rejected the claim a day later, insisting that Ukrainian troops remained in control of the city.
Moscow has maintained that any peace agreement must recognise Russian control over Ukraine’s Donbas region, a demand Kyiv continues to reject. Last month, Zelensky invited Putin to hold direct one-on-one talks, but the Kremlin declined the proposal.
Ushakov said Trump indicated that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would continue efforts to mediate a settlement and were prepared to visit Moscow again. However, US diplomatic engagement has slowed in recent weeks as Washington’s attention shifted towards the conflict involving Iran.
During the conversation, Putin also expressed hope that US diplomacy regarding Iran would “allow for mutually acceptable long-term solutions to be found on key issues of a settlement” and reminded Trump that he remains welcome to visit Moscow.
Writing on Telegram, Zelensky described his own discussion with Trump as “very good”, saying they reviewed the situation along the war’s 1,200-kilometre front line.
“There is a real prospect to end this war and American resolve will have a crucial meaning,” Zelensky said, adding that both leaders agreed to continue talks during the upcoming Nato summit.
Separately, Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed on Sunday that Ukraine had refused to suspend shelling of Kostiantynivka, preventing Russian authorities from transferring the bodies of fallen Ukrainian soldiers.
