Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Sunday, during which he congratulated him on his 80th birthday.
According to the Kremlin, he also discussed bilateral relations between Moscow and Washington.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov disclosed that during the conversation, which lasted just under an hour, Trump once again called for an end to the war in Ukraine. Ushakov said Trump emphasized the need to end hostilities and stated his readiness to influence European allies and Kyiv toward that goal, including at the upcoming G7 summit.
He added that they also agreed that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would visit Russia again in the near future.
Trump also said that recent strikes on civilian targets in Russia complicate a settlement, though the White House has not confirmed that, nor commented on the call, and said that ending the war quickly could open the door to “a truly new quality of U.S.-Russian relations,” Ushakov quoted him as saying.
Putin told Trump that if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants a meeting, he should come to Moscow, an offer that Zelenskyy has consistently rejected.
According to Ushakov, Putin, for his part, argued that attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure by Kyiv would not change Ukraine’s position on the battlefield.
The Kremlin handout stated that Trump informed Putin that an agreement in the war between the US and Iran is imminent and may be announced later Sunday.
Trump Speaks With Zelenskyy
Meanwhile, Trump also held a conversation with Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President, where he also congratulated the US President on his birthday.“We have had quite a detailed discussion about many key things – peace, surely, was among them,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy said in a statement on Telegram on Sunday that he had a “wonderful conversation” with Trump. Beyond congratulating Trump on his birthday, the Ukrainian President said that he thanked the U.S. President for supporting Ukraine.
He said that they discussed “what could help bring peace closer now,” without providing details. Zelenskyy also informed Trump about how Ukraine’s position along the eastern front line has improved and strengthened.
Zelenskyy added that they agreed that they will discuss more during our meeting at the G7 Summit, referring to the annual meeting of leaders of the Group of Seven nations, which is taking place in France this week.
The calls came as Trump prepared to mark his birthday with a UFC fight on the White House lawn Sunday evening, an event without precedent in American history. Once it concludes, Trump is set to fly overnight to France for the G7 summit, where Ukraine is expected to be a major topic of discussion Tuesday and Zelenskyy is due to join the gathering.
Russia’s war in Ukraine has long frustrated Trump, who as a candidate claimed he could end the conflict within 24 hours of taking office. He has since stopped making such claims and tends to pivot away from the topic when pressed. He has also grown increasingly vexed by the war between Israel and Iran, which has driven up gas prices, rattled financial markets and stoked concerns about inflation.
The diplomatic exchanges came against the backdrop of continued fighting. Governor Andrei Klychkov said that Ukrainian drone attacks killed one person and wounded nine others overnight in a residential building in the regional capital of Russia’s Oryol region. Another drone attack killed one person Sunday in Russia’s Bryansk region, local authorities said.
A separate drone strike hit fuel storage facilities in Russia’s Yaroslavl region, around 440 miles from the Ukrainian border, sparking fires. Zelenskyy said the strike had hit “an oil facility that was important for the reserve of the aggressor state.”
Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian oil and gas infrastructure in recent months, arguing the sector funds Moscow’s invasion.
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