Trump offers to help end Ukraine war in long phone call with Putin
US President Donald Trump held a 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, offering to help resolve the Ukraine war, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after speaking with Trump that there is a real prospect to end the war.
A Kremlin aide said US President Donald Trump offered to help find a solution to the Ukraine war during a 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday. The aide, Yuri Ushakov, said Trump made the offer in the context of his upcoming participation in a NATO summit in Turkey. “The American president once again confirmed his readiness to work towards a rapid end to the fighting and find solutions to overcome the crisis,” Ushakov said, describing the conversation as “business-like and quite constructive”. He added that Russia seeks “a political-diplomatic resolution of the conflict, with due account of Russia’s fundamental approach”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said he spoke with Trump. Writing on his Telegram account, he described the conversation as “very good” and said they discussed the 1,200 km frontline. “There is a real prospect to end this war and American resolve will have a crucial meaning,” Zelenskyy wrote. He said they agreed to continue discussions at the upcoming NATO meeting.
Ushakov, however, accused Kyiv and its European allies of “counting on extending and even escalating the conflict”, referring to Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian targets, mainly in the oil industry, which have caused fuel shortages in several Russian regions.
Russia claimed its forces had captured the strategic city of Kostyantynivka in eastern Donetsk region, but Ukraine denied this. Ukrainian army spokesperson Andriy Kovalyov told AFP the city remained under Ukrainian control. Zelenskyy dismissed Moscow’s announcement as “a lie”, writing: “If Kostyantynivka were under Russian control, then perhaps Putin would have no problem meeting me there to find a diplomatic way to finally end this war.” Kovalyov admitted small groups of Russian troops have infiltrated the town but said fighting is ongoing.
Russia said on Saturday that Ukrainian drones struck an oil terminal in St Petersburg, a port near Finland, and the historical Peterhof complex, causing no damage. Moscow vowed to respond, claiming it shot down almost 500 Ukrainian drones and 10 missiles overnight. St Petersburg governor Alexander Beglov said air defence downed 72 drones, one of which crashed in Peterhof, with no casualties or damage. The Ukrainian attack followed a Russian strike on Kyiv this week that killed 30 people. Zelenskyy also claimed that Kyiv struck the Kronstadt naval base in St Petersburg.
