Sixth Call This Year... Middle East Issues Also Discussed
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call on the 3rd (local time) to discuss the situation in Ukraine and other issues.
According to TASS and other sources, Yuri Ushakov, Kremlin foreign policy adviser, stated that President Putin and President Trump exchanged views by phone for nearly an hour.
Adviser Ushakov said, "Naturally, the issue of Ukraine was discussed," and added, "President Trump again raised the issue of a rapid cessation of fighting within Ukraine." He continued, "President Putin stated that Russia will achieve the goals of its 'special military operation'?in other words, Russia will not abandon its objective of eliminating all fundamental causes that have led to the current situation and confrontation." While Ukraine is demanding an unconditional ceasefire, Russia insists that addressing the root causes must come first. Russia claims that Ukraine's push to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and related matters are among the fundamental causes of the conflict.
Adviser Ushakov emphasized that President Putin reiterated Russia's readiness to continue negotiations with Ukraine, but explained that the two leaders did not discuss specific details regarding a third round of Russia-Ukraine talks. He also added that President Putin informed President Trump about the implementation status of the humanitarian agreements reached at the second round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations held last month in Istanbul, T?rkiye. Russia and Ukraine had agreed to exchange prisoners and return the bodies of the deceased, and have implemented these agreements.
Adviser Ushakov said that President Putin and President Trump also discussed in detail the situation in Iran and the broader Middle East, stating, "Russia emphasized that all disputes, disagreements, and conflicts must be resolved exclusively through political and diplomatic means." He added that Russia and the United States agreed to maintain communication on this issue at various levels.
He stated that the two leaders also discussed the situation in Syria and prospects for economic cooperation projects in the fields of energy and space exploration. However, he reported that the recent issue of the United States suspending a planned shipment of weapons to Ukraine was not discussed. There was also no specific discussion regarding the possibility of a face-to-face summit between the two leaders, with Ushakov adding, "If necessary, concrete agreements will be reached."
Adviser Ushakov said that President Trump began the conversation by explaining the passage of key tax cut and immigration bills in the US Congress, stating, "He called the bill 'a big and beautiful bill,' and President Putin wished him success with the reforms." In addition, President Putin congratulated the United States on its Independence Day on the 4th, and mentioned that Russia played an important role in the formation of the American nation.
Adviser Ushakov described the phone call as "as always, mutually understood, frank, businesslike, and specific," emphasizing that the two leaders will continue communication in the near future. This was the sixth phone call between President Putin and President Trump since the inauguration of the second Trump administration in January this year. The previous call took place on the 15th of last month and focused on the Israel-Iran conflict and negotiations regarding Ukraine.
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