US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call that lasted about an hour, in a new attempt to revive negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
The call followed visits by US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kiev, where they held meetings with Russian officials and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov, the conversation between Trump and Putin was "constructive and frank" and during it the two presidents discussed the results of Witkoff and Kushner's visits. Both sides positively assessed the diplomatic efforts of the American envoys, while Trump stressed the need for a speedy end to the conflict.
According to the Kremlin, Trump sees the end of the war as an opportunity to pave the way for a broad restoration of relations between Washington and Moscow. The US president has stressed that a peace agreement would create great opportunities for economic and trade cooperation between the two countries and that he wants to see significant diplomatic progress during his term.
However, despite recent contacts, the main obstacles to an agreement remain unresolved. The territorial issue in eastern Ukraine, especially control over the Donbas territories, continues to be one of the most difficult points of the negotiations. Moscow and Kiev have opposing positions on the terms of an agreement, and recent meetings have not yet produced any concrete agreement.
During the call, Putin also gave Trump an assessment of the situation on the battlefield and discussed measures that Moscow believes could be taken to speed up the end of the conflict. Ushakov said the two leaders agreed to continue contacts and also work on humanitarian issues, including a prisoner exchange.
Another issue discussed was the relationship between Russia and Europe. According to Ushakov, Putin told Trump that Russia has no “aggressive plans” towards European countries. The Kremlin claims that European concerns about a potential Russian threat are being used to justify support for Ukraine and increased military spending.
The statement comes as Russia has continued its attacks on Ukraine. On Tuesday alone, Russian missile and drone attacks on Kiev caused casualties and dozens of injuries, while Ukrainian authorities reported damage to residential buildings and civilian infrastructure.
The Trump-Putin call comes at a crucial moment for US diplomacy, following Witkoff and Kushner's meetings in Moscow and Kiev. Although the Kremlin has described the contacts as positive, there is still no agreement on a ceasefire or a final resolution to the war.
At the moment, Washington is trying to bring the positions of Moscow and Kiev closer, while the territorial issue, security guarantees for Ukraine, and the conditions of a ceasefire remain the main obstacles to a peace agreement.
