Kremlin signals stalled progress on Ukraine after Putin-Trump discussion
Russian President Vladimir Putin told US President Donald Trump on Thursday that Moscow will not abandon its objectives in Ukraine, while also stressing the need for diplomatic solutions to conflicts in the Middle East, according to Russian and American media.
In a one-hour-long call, both sides discussed the war in Ukraine, regional tensions in the Middle East, and joint economic projects.
The call is the sixth publicized phone conversation between the two leaders since the start of Trump's second term.
'Putin expressed openness to continued negotiations with Kyiv,' Yury Ushakov, the Russian President's foreign policy adviser, told reporters, adding that 'our president also declared that Russia will pursue its objectives — namely, to eliminate the well-known root causes of the current situation.'
Ushakov said that Putin emphasized to Trump the importance of resolving Middle East conflicts through political and diplomatic means, including the recent flare-up between Iran and Israel.
The leaders also discussed potential economic cooperation, particularly in the energy and space sectors. According to Ushakov, both presidents agreed that such joint projects 'would be beneficial for both Moscow and Washington.'
Meanwhile, Western media outlets reported that Trump is expected to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday to address the recent suspension of certain US weapons shipments to Ukraine.
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