Trump and Putin Hold Frank Phone Call Amid Renewed US Push for Ukraine Peace Deal

United States President Donald Trump has spoken by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the White House intensifies its diplomatic efforts to negotiate a peace settlement in Ukraine.

Yury Ushakov, foreign affairs adviser to Vladimir Putin, characterized the hour-long discussion on Tuesday as constructive and quite frank. According to Yury Ushakov, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump discussed the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and Russia's strategic military objectives on the battlefield.

"An objective and thorough analysis of the ongoing special military operation and generally our view of prospective battlefield advances and the achievement of the special military operation's goals and tasks was given," Yury Ushakov stated. He further noted that Vladimir Putin dismissed growing international anxieties regarding potential future Russian military actions against European nations, including NATO members.

"It was underlined that we don't have any aggressive plans regarding Europe," Yury Ushakov added. The White House did not respond to Al Jazeera's inquiries for comment regarding the discussion.

The phone conversation occurred shortly after United States special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff conducted separate meetings with Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to advance what Donald Trump has termed a proposal to conclude Europe's deadliest armed conflict since World War II. Yury Ushakov reported that Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump evaluated the outcomes of those diplomatic visits, identifying several promising and worthwhile concepts.

Following his Sunday negotiations with the United States envoys, Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Donald Trump for enabling the delegation to visit Ukraine despite active hostilities, which were temporarily halted to facilitate the talks.

"It is very important that the delegation has arrived to see us. We have been waiting a long time for Steve and Jared, Witkoff and Kushner," Volodymyr Zelenskyy remarked. "To us, it is very important to do everything so that this war ends."

Despite widespread diplomatic praise, the high-level meetings yielded no immediate breakthroughs. Following a brief weekend cessation of hostilities, both sides resumed military strikes. Ukrainian officials reported that morning strikes by Russia on Tuesday resulted in the deaths of at least five civilians and left 25 others wounded in Kyiv. In parallel, Russian authorities confirmed three fatalities across the Bryansk and Kursk regions alongside 13 injuries, while local authorities attributed approximately five deaths to Ukrainian strikes targeting Russian-annexed Crimea.

The war originated in February 2022 following the full-scale invasion launched by Russia against Ukraine, historically regarded as the breadbasket of Europe. Achieving an end to the conflict has emerged as a central objective for Donald Trump during his second presidential term, following initial campaign pledges to secure a resolution within 24 hours—a claim he later characterized as an exaggeration.

Faced with reports of diminishing United States munition stockpiles, Donald Trump has repeatedly attributed missile supply and financial strains to Ukraine, though various critics emphasize military actions involving Iran as a primary contributing factor. While Donald Trump's diplomatic rapport with Ukraine and Volodymyr Zelenskyy has experienced friction, he maintains a close association with Vladimir Putin, previously remarking that the two leaders endured significant challenges together and hosting him in Alaska last year for his first visit to United States soil since 2015.

The administration led by Donald Trump has encountered criticism over its strategy to pursue a settlement in Ukraine without fully incorporating Ukrainian and European leadership. Ukrainian officials indicate that Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy are scheduled to hold a meeting later in the month.