Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump spoke by phone for nearly 90 minutes on July 4, with Trump once again offering to help bring an end to the war in Ukraine, according to Russia’s foreign ministry.
The call, their fourth this year, took place just before a significant NATO summit in Turkey, due to begin on Tuesday and expected to be attended by Trump.
Russia’s foreign ministry said Putin personally congratulated Trump “and the entire American people on this significant holiday”, referring to the 250th anniversary of the US declaration of independence. The ministry described the conversation as “businesslike and highly constructive”, adding that Trump had “reaffirmed his readiness to facilitate the earliest possible cessation of hostilities” in the conflict.
Speaking on Sunday, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Trump had made the offer to help find a solution in the context of his upcoming participation in the NATO summit. According to Ushakov, “the American president once again confirmed his readiness to work towards a rapid end to the fighting and find solutions to overcome the crisis.”
Ushakov said Russia was seeking “a political-diplomatic resolution of the conflict, with due account of Russia’s fundamental approach”. He also accused Kyiv and its European allies of “counting on extending and even escalating the conflict, and on terrorism against civilians”, a reference to Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian targets, largely linked to the oil industry.
He added that Trump had said Washington’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would continue trying to broker a settlement and were prepared to travel to Moscow again.
Ushakov said Putin had “depicted the real situation on the battlefield where the Russian armed forces are confidently advancing, liberating one locality after another.” Russian commanders had told Putin on Friday that Moscow’s troops had taken the strategically important city of Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine.
However, on Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine’s General Staff rejected that claim, stating that Kyiv’s forces still held control of the city.
Zelensky said he had also held a “very good call” with Trump on Saturday. He said, “There is a real prospect to put an end to this war, and America’s resolve is decisive.”
The conflict is expected to headline the upcoming NATO summit.
