Trump And Putin Discuss Ukraine, Iran Diplomacy/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump and President Putin spoke for nearly an hour Thursday, discussing the Ukraine war and Middle East tensions. Putin said Russia remains open to negotiations but will not abandon its goals. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy remarked the two leaders have little in common and stressed direct talks are key to peace.
Quick Look:
- Trump and Putin hold nearly hour-long call.
- Discuss Ukraine conflict, Middle East tensions.
- Putin open to talks but firm on goals.
- Iran crisis must be solved diplomatically, Putin says.
- No Trump-Putin meeting planned yet.
- Zelenskyy says leaders have little in common.
- Zelenskyy plans call with Trump soon.
Putin and Trump Discuss Ukraine, Iran in Nearly Hour-Long Phone Call
Deep Look
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump held an almost hour-long phone conversation on Thursday, focusing on the war in Ukraine and tensions in the Middle East, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.
Trump used the call to push for a swift end to the conflict in Ukraine, but Putin maintained that while Russia is open to negotiations, it will not back away from its core objectives in the war, now entering its fourth year.
“We continue to seek a negotiated solution on Ukraine,” Putin said, according to Ushakov. “Russia is ready to keep talking but remains committed to eliminating what we see as the root causes of this conflict.”
It marked the sixth publicly acknowledged call between the two leaders since Trump returned to the White House earlier this year.
Speaking to reporters, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said that during the discussion about Iran, Putin stressed the importance of resolving issues “exclusively by political and diplomatic means.”
Tensions have flared in the region after the United States carried out strikes on three sites in Iran on June 22, part of Washington’s involvement in Israel’s broader campaign aimed at crippling Tehran’s nuclear program.
Turning to Ukraine, Ushakov said Trump again voiced his push for ending the fighting quickly, while Putin reiterated Moscow’s openness to talks with Kyiv. However, Putin also insisted that Russia remains committed to achieving its objectives in Ukraine and eliminating what it sees as the “root causes” of the conflict.
Putin has long claimed Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 to defend against a perceived NATO threat and to protect Russian speakers in Ukraine—arguments Kyiv and Western allies firmly reject. The Russian leader has insisted any peace agreement must involve Ukraine renouncing its NATO ambitions and recognizing Russian territorial gains.
The phone call comes as the Pentagon has confirmed a temporary halt in shipments of certain weapons to Ukraine while reviewing U.S. military stockpiles. The paused deliveries reportedly include air defense missiles, precision-guided artillery, and other critical equipment.
A U.S. official and a former national security official, both speaking anonymously, confirmed details about the suspended shipments, though the Pentagon has yet to provide full public disclosure.
According to Ushakov, the suspension of U.S. weapons deliveries was not discussed during Trump and Putin’s call.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a visit to Denmark that he hopes to discuss the matter with Trump “maybe tomorrow, or in the coming days.”
When asked about his expectations for the Trump-Putin dialogue, Zelenskyy noted the stark differences between the two leaders.
“I’m not sure that they have a lot of common ideas or common topics to talk about, because they are very different people,” he said.
The last known call between Trump and Putin took place on June 14, one day after Israel carried out strikes against Iran.
Their renewed communication appears to signal both leaders’ interest in stabilizing relations between Washington and Moscow, which have plunged to their lowest point since the Cold War amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Earlier this week, Putin also spoke directly with French President Emmanuel Macron for the first time in nearly three years.
The two leaders also had a detailed discussion on Iran and the broader Middle East. Putin emphasized that issues surrounding Iran must be resolved “exclusively by diplomatic means,” Ushakov said.
No concrete plans for an in-person meeting between Putin and Trump emerged from the call, though both agreed to maintain open lines of communication. The conversation also did not touch on the recent U.S. decision to halt certain weapons shipments to Ukraine amid a Pentagon review of global stockpiles.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the Putin–Trump call during a briefing with European Union leaders.
“President Trump and President Putin are completely different people,” Zelenskyy said. “I’m not sure they have much in common or many topics to discuss.”
However, Zelenskyy acknowledged that the idea of an unconditional ceasefire, reportedly floated by Trump earlier in discussions, was raised during the call.
He also stressed that in Russia, key decisions rest solely with Putin, and achieving any meaningful peace will ultimately require direct talks between national leaders.
Zelenskyy noted that he plans to speak with President Trump either tomorrow or in the coming days.
Putin initially announced on July 3 that the conversation with Trump was scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Kyiv time, with Trump confirming the call on social media.
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