U.S. President Donald Trump spoke separately with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday, offering to help seek a solution to the war in Ukraine as negotiations remain deadlocked.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Trump and Putin spoke by telephone for nearly 90 minutes on U.S. Independence Day. According to Ushakov, Trump made the offer in the context of his participation next week at the NATO summit in Turkey.
“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.
Ushakov described the conversation 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.”
Talks remain at an impasse. Moscow is demanding the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the entire Donetsk region, a condition Kyiv rejects.
Zelenskyy said he also spoke with Trump on Saturday and described the conversation as “very good.” He said the two leaders discussed the situation on the front line and the possibility of ending the war.
“There is a real prospect to end this war and American resolve will have a crucial meaning,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian president said he and Trump agreed to continue their conversation at next week’s NATO summit in Turkey.
