U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation that lasted approximately two hours. The world waited to hear what both leaders would say following the lengthy discussion, and the first statement came from Putin.
Putin’s Remarks
Speaking to the press in Sochi after the call, Putin described the conversation as informative and open, emphasizing that it was very constructive and useful.
He thanked President Trump for supporting direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and noted following:
“President Trump expressed his stance on ending the conflict and reaching a ceasefire. I, in turn, reaffirmed Russia’s position favoring a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis.”
Putin said that in order to establish a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine, “appropriate agreements” must be reached. He added that the resumption of contacts in Istanbul between Russia and Ukraine was a positive indicator, showing both sides were on the right path.
Putin underlined the importance of both Russia and Ukraine making mutual concessions that would be acceptable to all parties involved.
He also stated:
“The conversation (with Trump) was constructive, and I consider it valuable. I’d also like to emphasize that Russia’s position has been clear from the beginning. For us, the most important goal is to eliminate the root causes of the crisis.”
He concluded by saying that if further clarification was needed, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov and Foreign Policy Advisor Yuri Ushakov would provide additional details later.
Trump to Call Zelensky and NATO Leaders
Following the conversation with Putin, President Trump is expected to hold calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO leaders to discuss the situation further.
Third Official Trump–Putin Call This Year
This marked the third official phone call between Trump and Putin in the same year.
- Their first conversation took place on February 12, shortly after Trump took office in January. At that time, Trump noted that both Putin and Zelensky were interested in peace, and he directed senior U.S. officials to begin negotiations aimed at ending the war.
- The second call was held on March 18, and according to the Kremlin, it also lasted around two hours. During that call, Putin reportedly agreed to temporarily halt attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, but did not accept Trump’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. Later, both sides blamed each other for attacks on energy facilities.
