Russian and US Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump spoke by phone on 14 June, Putin’s aide Yury Ushakov said, the Russian service of Radio Liberty reported. It was their fifth official conversation since Trump took office less than six months ago.
According to Ushakov, the conversation lasted 50 minutes. Putin wished Trump a happy birthday – the US president turns 79 today. Putin and Trump are said to have expressed satisfaction with their “positive personal relationship”.
Among the topics discussed were the War in Ukraine and the worsening situation in the Middle East. Putin, according to Ushakov, condemned Israel’s military operation against Iran and expressed “serious concern about the possible escalation of the conflict.”
Also, Ushakov said, Putin briefed Trump on the implementation of the agreements reached at the meeting of the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul on 2 June – likely referring to the exchange of prisoners and bodies of those killed. Trump, according to Putin’s aide, “reiterated his interest in ending the Russian-Ukrainian conflict as soon as possible.” In his turn, the Russian president said that Moscow was ready to continue negotiations with Ukraine after 22 June.