Trump, Putin, Ukraine war: Donald Trump offers to help end Ukraine war in 90-minute call with Putin, Zelensky
U.S. President Donald Trump offered to help find a solution to the war in Ukraine during a nearly 90-minute phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said, as diplomatic efforts gather pace ahead of next week’s NATO summit in Turkey.Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Trump made the offer during a conference call on Saturday, America’s Independence Day, and reiterated Washington’s willingness to work to end the conflict, Reuters reported. Trump also spoke separately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who later described the conversation as “very good.”Ushakov said Trump “reaffirmed his readiness to work to quickly end the fighting and find solutions to overcome the crisis.”He described the discussions as “pragmatic and constructive” while saying Russia continued to seek a “political and diplomatic solution to the conflict” taking into account Moscow’s “basic approach.”
Putin and Zelensky present conflicting battlefield narratives
According to Reuters, during the call, Putin briefed Trump on what he described as the battlefield situation and claimed that Russian troops were “confidently advancing, liberating one place after another.”The Russian leader’s comments came a day after Moscow claimed to have seized the strategically important city of Kostian Tenivka in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region. But Ukraine denied this.Ukrainian military spokesman Andrei Kovalev said the city remained under Kiev’s control, while Zelensky dismissed Russia’s claims as “just another Russian lie,” AFP reported.Russia continues to insist that any solution must include Moscow taking full control of Ukraine’s Donbass region, a demand that Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.
Trump envoy continues mediation efforts
Ushakov said Trump informed Putin that U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would continue to work toward a solution and were ready to visit Moscow again.The Kremlin aide also said Putin expressed hope that U.S. diplomatic efforts on the Iran conflict would help reach a “mutually acceptable long-term solution” on broader international issues. Putin also reminded Trump that he had received an open invitation to visit Moscow.Zelensky, meanwhile, said his discussions with Trump focused on the 1,200-kilometer front line and diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.“The prospect of ending this war is real and American resolve will be of vital importance,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram, Reuters reported, adding that the two leaders agreed to continue discussions during the NATO summit.
NATO summit and deadlocked peace talks
The Trump-Putin and Trump-Zelensky calls also mark the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence and come ahead of a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, where the leaders are expected to discuss the war in Ukraine.Peace talks remain deadlocked. Zelensky last month urged Putin to hold a one-on-one meeting to discuss ending the war, but the Russian president refused.On the battlefield, fighting around Kostianevka raged despite Moscow’s territorial claims, with Ukrainian troops maintaining defensive positions while acknowledging that small Russian units had infiltrated parts of the city.The city is seen as an important gateway to Kramatorsk and Sloviyask, Ukraine’s remaining strongholds in the Donbas region.
