The Presidents of Russia and the United States spoke again by telephone today, so that President Trump and his team could brief his Russian counterpart on their discussions with Ukraine’s acting President, Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump had told Putin that he would brief him when the two spoke before Trump’s meeting with Zelensky.
Both sides reported their satisfaction with today’s call. President Trump told reporters it was a “very good talk … very productive.” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov reported in his more [detailed statement]() on the call that “both presidents, in a very friendly manner, agreed to maintain dialogue onwards.”
Before speaking of the call, Ushakov pointed out that in 2025, “President Vladimir Putin held 17 contacts with US representatives. This includes a visit to Alaska, ten telephone conversations with Donald Trump, and six meetings with his special envoys. What does this mean,” he asked? “You can draw your own conclusions.”
In the call itself, Ushakov reported that as the Americans told it, in their meeting with Zelensky “the US side took an assertive stance in promoting the idea that Kiev needs to take real steps towards the final settlement of the conflict instead of using demands for a temporary ceasefire as cover. Zelensky was advised to not even try to secure a respite for his armed forces but instead focus on achieving a comprehensive agreement that would lead to the actual end to the armed conflict.”
He added that Trump informed Putin “about certain results achieved by Zelensky’s team precisely in this direction, but which nevertheless, in our assessment, still leave the Kiev authorities room for various interpretations in order to evade fulfilment of their commitments.”
Ukraine’s attack on Putin’s residence was raised. Putin informed Trump of the fact “that practically immediately after what the US side considers a successful round of talks at Mar-a-Lago, the Kiev regime carried out a terrorist attack involving a barrage of long-range unmanned aerial vehicles … on the state residence of the President of Russia.” Ushakov said “the US President was shocked by this information, literally outraged. He said that he could not even imagine such irrational actions. And, as was stated, this will undoubtedly affect the approaches of the United States” to working with Zelensky, “to whom the [Trump] administration, as Donald Trump himself said, did not, thank God, give Tomahawks.”
President Trump himself told reporters this afternoon that he was “very angry” to hear about the strike. “I don’t like it… It’s not good.” He add: ‘Don’t forget that I stopped the tomahawks.” To carry out an offensive is one thing, but you can’t attack the President’s home at this “delicate period of time,” Trump said.
Ushakov, in completing his report on the call, emphasized that “the Russian side intends to continue close and productive work with its US partners in searching for ways to achieve peace. However, naturally, with regard to a number of agreements reached at the previous stage and new solutions now emerging, Russia’s position will be revised. This was stated very clearly, and the Americans should treat this with understanding.”
