Overview
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin engaged in an 85‑minute telephone conversation on Saturday, as reported by Bloomberg citing the Kremlin. The call covered the war in Ukraine, the conflict involving Iran, and preparations for the NATO summit scheduled for July 7‑8 in Ankara.
Diplomatic Highlights
Kremlin foreign‑policy aide Yuri Ushakov noted that President Putin first congratulated President Trump on the United States' 250th independence anniversary before shifting the discussion to Ukraine. Trump reiterated his willingness to help bring about a swift end to the war, while Moscow expressed a preference for a political and diplomatic settlement that incorporates Russia's core interests.
The leaders also addressed the upcoming NATO summit, with Ushakov indicating that U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will continue to facilitate negotiations and remain prepared to travel to Moscow for further talks.
Regarding Iran, both presidents agreed on the importance of maintaining dialogue on military, political, and economic issues.
U.S. Policy Context
President Trump is set to meet NATO leaders after urging European allies to increase defence spending and assume a larger share of the alliance's security burden. The administration has announced plans to reduce the number of U.S. troops stationed in Europe and to scale back military assets allocated to the continent during a crisis.
Conflict Developments
Russia claimed on Friday that its forces captured the strategic city of Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the claim, stating the city remains under Kyiv's control. In recent weeks, Russia has intensified missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, including the deadliest attack on Kyiv this year. Conversely, Ukraine has expanded long‑range drone attacks inside Russia, targeting energy infrastructure and military facilities, as both sides continue to exchange strikes ahead of renewed diplomatic efforts.