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Putin and Trump speak, as US halts some arms shipments to Ukraine

Putin and Trump speak, as US halts some arms shipments to Ukraine

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Iran, Ukraine and other issues by phone on Thursday, the Kremlin said, in their sixth publicly disclosed chat since Trump returned to the White House.
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While discussing the situation around Iran, Putin emphasised the need to resolve all issues by political and diplomatic means, said Yuri Ushakov, his foreign affairs adviser.
The United States struck three sites in Iran on June 22, inserting itself into Israel's war aimed at destroying Tehran's nuclear programme.
On the conflict in Ukraine, Ushakov said Trump emphasised his push for a quick halt to the fighting, and Putin voiced Moscow's readiness to pursue talks with Kyiv.
At the same time, the Russian leader emphasised that Moscow will seek to achieve its goals in Ukraine and remove the 'root causes' of the conflict, Ushakov said.
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Putin has argued he sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 to fend off a threat to Russia posed by Ukraine's push to join Nato and protect Russian speakers in Ukraine – arguments rejected by Kyiv and its allies.
He insisted that any prospective peace deal must see Ukraine abandon its Nato bid and recognise Russia's territorial gains.
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