Trump offers to help resolve Ukraine conflict in call with Putin
U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to Russian leader Vladimir Putin by telephone for nearly 90 minutes, offered to help find a solution to the Ukraine war, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said in comments made public early on Sunday, reports BritPanorama.
Ushakov said Trump made the offer during the call on Saturday, U.S. Independence Day, in the context of his participation next week at the NATO summit in Turkey.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he also spoke to 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 of Trump’s call with the Russian president.
Ushakov, who described the conversation as “business-like and quite constructive,” stated that Russia sought “a political-diplomatic resolution of the conflict, with due account of Russia’s fundamental approach.”
Trump’s past attempts to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine have failed to bring about an agreement.
Ushakov accused Kyiv and its European allies of “counting on extending and even escalating the conflict, and on terrorism against civilians.” He referred to Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian targets, mainly linked to the oil industry, which have triggered fuel shortages in several Russian regions.
Ushakov said Putin “depicted the real situation on the battlefield where the Russian armed forces are confidently advancing, liberating one locality after another.” Russian commanders reported to Putin on Friday that Moscow’s troops had captured the strategically important city of Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region. However, on Saturday, Zelenskyy and Ukraine’s General Staff dismissed that claim, asserting that Kyiv’s forces still controlled the city.
Russia has stated that any solution must include Moscow assuming full control over Ukraine’s Donbas region. Ukraine rejects that assertion, and Zelenskyy urged Putin last month to hold a one-on-one meeting with him, but the Kremlin leader refused.
Ushakov quoted Trump as indicating 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. U.S. diplomatic efforts have virtually stalled, as Washington is focused on the war with Iran.
Ushakov noted that Putin expressed hope during the conversation that U.S. diplomatic efforts in the Iran conflict would “allow for mutually acceptable long-term solutions to be found on key issues of a settlement.” He also reminded Trump that he had an open invitation to visit Moscow.
Zelenskyy, writing on his Telegram account, described his conversation with the U.S. president as “very good,” including a discussion on the war’s 746-mile front line. “There is a real prospect to end this war and American resolve will have a crucial meaning,” he said, adding that he and Trump agreed to continue discussions at the NATO meeting.
In his comments, Zelenskyy thanked the United States for its help throughout the conflict and acknowledged “American hearts” that thought of Ukraine’s future and valued freedom throughout the world.
