In a high-stakes phone call that underscored deep global tensions, Russian President Vladimir Putin told former U.S. President Donald Trump that Moscow remains open to negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine—but will not retreat from its core objectives, reported by Reuters.
According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, the conversation touched on a range of issues, including the Middle East and Iran. Trump, who has long promised a swift resolution to the war if re-elected, again urged for an early end to hostilities. But Putin, Ushakov said, reaffirmed Russia’s resolve to secure what the Kremlin calls the “elimination of root causes” behind the conflict.
“Our president also said that Russia will achieve the goals it has set,” Ushakov noted, referencing Moscow’s long-standing opposition to Ukraine joining NATO and what it claims is a Western military threat on its doorstep. Western officials and Kyiv have repeatedly rejected this as a baseless pretext for invasion.
While the call reportedly included discussion of recent agreements between Moscow and Kyiv—such as the exchange of prisoners-of-war and fallen soldiers—there was no indication of a shift in the Kremlin’s position. Ushakov confirmed that the two leaders did not discuss the recent U.S. decision to halt some military aid shipments to Ukraine, a move seen by some as a potential bargaining chip in future diplomacy.
On Iran, Putin reiterated Russia’s position that disputes, including the aftermath of U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites last month, must be resolved through political and diplomatic means. Moscow has condemned those strikes as unprovoked and illegal.
The rare direct conversation between the Russian and former U.S. presidents highlights Trump’s continued role on the world stage, as both men signal willingness to engage—but on vastly different terms. As the war grinds on with no clear end in sight, the road to peace remains elusive, and the costs continue to rise.
