Trump Offers Putin Help on Ukraine Settlement in Phone Call

The Telephone Exchange Between Washington and Moscow

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by telephone with Russian leader Vladimir Putin for nearly 90 minutes on Saturday. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov reported that Trump offered to help find a solution to the war in Ukraine during the call. The conversation took place on U.S. Independence Day and was described by Ushakov as business-like and quite constructive.

Ushakov stated that Trump confirmed his readiness to work toward a rapid end to the fighting and to find solutions to overcome the crisis. The call occurred ahead of Trump's planned participation next week at the NATO summit in Turkey. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy separately confirmed that he also spoke with Trump.

Russian Objectives for a Political Settlement

Ushakov outlined Russia's position that any resolution must follow a political-diplomatic path while taking account of Russia's fundamental approach. He noted that Putin presented the current battlefield situation, stating that Russian armed forces are confidently advancing and liberating one locality after another.

Russia has maintained that any solution requires Moscow to assume full control over Ukraine's Donbas region. Ushakov accused Kyiv and its European allies of seeking to extend and escalate the conflict, including through what he termed terrorism against civilians, specifically referencing Ukraine's long-range strikes on Russian oil industry targets that have led to fuel shortages in several Russian regions.

Battlefield Claims and Ukrainian Rebuttals

Russian commanders informed Putin on Friday that Moscow's troops had captured the strategically important city of Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region. Ushakov conveyed this assessment during the discussion with Trump.

On Saturday, Zelenskiy and Ukraine's General Staff rejected the claim, stating that Kyiv's forces still controlled Kostiantynivka. Ukraine continues to reject Russian demands for full control over the Donbas and has seen Zelenskiy urge Putin last month to hold a one-on-one meeting, an invitation the Kremlin leader declined.

American Envoys and the Iran Factor

Trump indicated that Washington's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would continue efforts to broker a settlement and were prepared to make another visit to Moscow. Ushakov reported that U.S. diplomatic efforts have virtually stalled because Washington remains focused on the war with Iran.

Putin expressed hope that U.S. diplomatic efforts regarding the Iran conflict would allow mutually acceptable long-term solutions to be found on key issues of a settlement. He also reminded Trump of an open invitation to visit Moscow.

Zelenskiy's Assessment and Planned Follow-Up

Zelenskiy described his own conversation with Trump as very good and noted that the two leaders discussed the war's 1,200-kilometer front line. He stated there is a real prospect to end this war and that American resolve will have crucial meaning.

Zelenskiy added that he and Trump agreed to continue their discussions at the upcoming NATO meeting. The exchange between the three leaders highlights ongoing channels of communication even as battlefield positions remain contested and broader diplomatic efforts face constraints from other conflicts.