Trump and Putin Discuss Ukraine in Hour-Long Call as US Pushes for Peace
Trump and Putin held a constructive call on Ukraine, reviewing envoy visits, but no deal emerged as Kyiv doubts a quick end.
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone for about an hour on Tuesday, focusing on efforts to restart negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. The conversation followed a round of shuttle diplomacy by American envoys who met leaders in both Moscow and Kyiv.
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov described the call as constructive and candid. He said Trump expressed a desire to end the conflict quickly, suggesting that a resolution could help restore full US-Russia ties and open the door to improved trade and economic cooperation. Putin, according to the Kremlin, supported this approach.
The call reviewed weekend meetings in which US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held more than three hours of talks with Putin in Moscow on Saturday. They then travelled to Kyiv for discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the following day. Ushakov said those meetings were substantive and frank, and both leaders assessed them positively.
Despite the flurry of activity, people familiar with the matter said the Moscow talks produced no breakthrough. Putin continues to seek control over the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, while Kyiv has rejected demands to surrender fortified cities there. Ukraine has instead proposed halting the war along current front lines.
During the call, Putin also gave his assessment of the battlefield situation and stressed that Russia has no hostile intentions toward Europe, a statement likely aimed at easing continental concerns.
Zelensky, speaking after the envoy visit, said he does not foresee a quick end to the war. He noted Ukraine is bracing for another difficult winter and needs more air defence systems to counter Russian strikes. He also argued that territorial questions must ultimately be settled at the level of national leaders.
Trump and Putin agreed to remain in contact and speak again when needed. They also discussed continuing prisoner exchanges, though no further details were provided. The diplomatic push follows the collapse of earlier US-led peace efforts in February.