Putin Dials Trump in First Talks Since December, Urges End to Iran Fighting

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held a “frank and constructive” phone conversation in which they discussed the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran as well as the war in Ukraine, according to the Kremlin.
The hour-long call took place on Monday and marked their first direct discussion since December. Russian news agencies, citing Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov, reported that the request for the conversation came from Washington.
Ushakov explained that much of the discussion focused on the conflict involving Iran and the continuing negotiations between Russian and US representatives regarding a possible resolution to the Ukraine crisis.
During the call, Putin urged a swift political and diplomatic solution to the war involving the United States and Israel against Iran, a country that has maintained close ties with Russia.
The Russian president also briefed Trump on the current situation along the frontline in the Ukraine war, claiming that Russian forces were making significant progress in the fighting.
According to Ushakov, Putin also welcomed the mediation efforts made by Trump in attempts to resolve the Ukraine conflict. Although several rounds of talks have taken place between Russian, American, and Ukrainian officials, they have so far failed to produce a breakthrough or ceasefire agreement.
Ushakov added that US officials had requested the call to address several key issues related to the current international situation, describing the discussion between the two leaders as serious and constructive.
Putin and Trump previously met in person during a summit in Alaska in August last year.