U.S. President Donald Trump described his phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin as “very good” and noted the Russian leader’s willingness for constructive cooperation.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Discussion on the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East
During a press conference at the White House, Trump shared that numerous representatives from both sides participated in the conversation. The main topic was the war in Ukraine, which the American president referred to as an “endless struggle.” He also highlighted the deep contradictions between Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump commented that the parties still cannot reach an agreement, but he called the conversation positive. Additionally, the issue of the Middle East was raised, where, according to Trump, Putin expressed a desire to be helpful in resolving the situation.
“I had a very good conversation with President Putin. We had many people on the line from our side, from his side. We talked about Ukraine – it’s just an endless struggle,” he said at the press conference at the White House.
Trump noted that he urged the Russian president to do more to end the war between Ukraine and Russia, adding that it would truly be beneficial for all parties. According to him, Putin wants to be constructive on these issues.
Sanctions, the Kremlin’s position, and the situation on the front
During his communication with journalists, the U.S. president announced a future lifting of sanctions against certain countries related to the oil industry, but did not specify which countries were involved.
The Kremlin reported that during the negotiations, Trump and Putin discussed possible ways to resolve both the Ukrainian and Iranian conflicts. Putin’s aide, Yuri Ushakov, stated that the Russian leader told Trump about the “successful advancement of Russian troops,” viewing this as a reason for Ukraine to enter negotiations.
At the same time, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskiy, reported that the active actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are forcing the Russian army to postpone the dates of planned offensive operations. According to him, over the past month, Ukrainian troops have regained control over a larger area of their territory than Russia has captured during the same period – this is the first time it has happened since the Kursk operation in 2024.
This is the first conversation between Trump and Putin in 2026, although last year they frequently contacted each other regarding the situation in Ukraine.
Following the start of the military operation by the U.S. and Israel against Iran, diplomatic efforts to stop Russia’s war in Ukraine have slowed down. President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that a trilateral meeting of representatives from Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia scheduled for this week has been postponed.