The presidents of Russia and the United States, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, held a telephone conversation on Wednesday afternoon in which the Russian leader, according to Kremlin sources, presented proposals to resolve the conflict over Iran’s nuclear program and to propose a ceasefire in Ukraine.
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The scope of the ceasefire in Ukraine that Putin and Trump reportedly discussed is unclear. The Kremlin leader proposed repeating the temporary ceasefire in Ukraine to commemorate the anniversary of the end of World War II next month, according to a Russian presidential advisor cited by Reuters. The top Russian leader announced a similar truce last year that lasted three days but was not agreed with Kyiv.
On the U.S. side, Trump acknowledged the phone call during a reception for the astronauts of the Artemis II spacecraft in the Oval Office. “We had a good chat, I have known him for a long time,” Trump said.
The White House occupant added that they discussed a possible truce on the Ukrainian front. “I asked for a little ceasefire,” Trump said, “and I think he can do it.” Then he asked reporters: “Has the ceasefire been announced yet?”
This contact is the first publicly announced between the two leaders since March 9, nine days after the United States and Israel started a war against Iran.
Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov did not reveal what proposals Putin had made regarding Iran. Moscow had previously offered to remove enriched uranium from the country. But Trump indicated that Putin offered help on the enriched uranium problem, a key obstacle in any agreement with Iran. “I told him it would be better if he got involved in ending the war with Ukraine,” Trump said.
The Russian president launches several proposals on the Iranian nuclear program but Trump recommends focusing on resolving the war in Ukraine
Ushakov told reporters that Putin had proposed a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine for the May 9 celebrations, marking the Soviet Union’s participation in the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. He added that Trump had reacted positively to the proposal.
Ushakov added that the U.S. president, in a friendly and professional conversation that lasted more than an hour and a half, said he believed they were close to reaching an agreement to end the war in Ukraine.
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