Putin aide: Trump stressed benefits of ending war during phone call
Vladimir Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov says Donald Trump used a phone call with Putin to argue that ending the conflict in Ukraine would bring major benefits and open the way to rebuilding US-Russia ties. Volodymyr Zelensky hopes to meet Trump in the second half of September to discuss missile defense.
An aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Yuri Ushakov, told journalists on Tuesday that Putin and US President Donald Trump had a telephone conversation. According to Ushakov, the hour-long call focused on the results of visits to Moscow and Kyiv made over the weekend by Trump's representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Ushakov also said Trump outlined the benefits he sees in ending the war.
The official said Trump clearly expressed the view that the conflict should be brought to an end as soon as possible. In Trump's assessment, such a step would open up significant and wide-ranging prospects for fully restoring relations between the United States and Russia. He reportedly singled out trade and economic ties, saying they could bring enormous benefits to both countries. Ushakov added that Trump is interested in seeing this shift happen during his current presidency.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, said the proposals brought by Witkoff and Kushner were good and respectable, but he did not yet know whether they would lead to a result. Zelensky also said he hopes to meet Trump in the second half of September to discuss Ukraine's anti-missile defense. He did not specify an exact venue or time, but Ukrainian media have suggested the meeting could take place in New York during the UN General Assembly.
