(AFP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with US counterpart Donald Trump, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Wednesday, adding the two leaders discussed the Middle East war and Ukraine. The call lasted more than 90 minutes and was “frank and businesslike,” Ushakov told reporters, including from AFP, during a phone briefing. The presidents “paid particular attention to the situation regarding Iran and in the Persian Gulf,” Ushakov said.
“Vladimir Putin considers Donald Trump’s decision to extend the ceasefire with Iran to be the right one, as this should give negotiations a chance and, overall, help to stabilise the situation.” But Putin also “highlighted the inevitable and extremely damaging consequences not only for Iran and its neighbours, but also for the entire international community, should the US and Israel resort to military action once again,” Ushakov said. He added Russia was “firmly committed to providing every possible assistance to diplomatic efforts” on the Middle East war, and said the call was held at Moscow’s initiative.
In Washington, Trump told reporters he had had a “very good conversation” with Putin, though he said it had focused more on the Ukraine war than on Iran. Trump added that Putin wanted to “help” end the US-Israeli war on Iran but that he had told the Russian leader to end the Ukraine invasion first.
– Ukraine ceasefire offer – Ushakov also briefed journalists on the two leaders’ discussion of the war in Ukraine, now in its fifth year following Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour in February 2022. “At Trump’s request, Vladimir Putin described the current situation along the line of contact, where our troops are holding the strategic initiative and pushing back the enemy’s positions,” Ushakov told reporters.
“Both Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump expressed essentially similar assessments of the behaviour of the Kyiv regime led by (Volodymyr) Zelensky, which, incited and with the support of the Europeans, is pursuing a policy of prolonging the conflict.” Russia’s assault on Ukraine has devastated swathes of Ukrainian territory, killed thousands of civilians, and forced millions to flee their homes.
Putin said he was ready “to declare a ceasefire for the duration of Victory Day celebrations.” Trump actively supported this initiative, noting that the holiday marks our shared victory,” Ushakov said. Russia marks Victory Day on May 9 to commemorate the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, celebrated each year with a military parade in central Moscow. This year’s event will be slimmed down as a precautionary measure given the threat of Ukrainian retaliatory strikes, the Kremlin said earlier on Wednesday.
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