10 months · 11 summary articles
On his 80th birthday, Donald Trump received separate phone calls from Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, both leaders using the occasion to press their positions on the four-year-old war in Ukraine and to seek Washington’s influence in ending the conflict. The Kremlin confirmed a 55-minute conversation between Trump and Putin, during which the Russian leader argued that Kyiv and its Western backers were prolonging the fighting, while Trump reiterated his desire to broker an end to hostilities and signalled readiness to engage European allies . Ukrainian officials said Zelensky spoke with Trump for half an hour and described the call as “very positive,” adding that the two presidents agreed to meet at this week’s G7 summit in France to advance peace initiatives .
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Trump emphasised the need to end hostilities and stated his readiness to influence European capitals, while Putin’s office said the conversation had been “friendly and frank” . The Kremlin also disclosed that Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner plan to travel to Moscow in the coming days, a move that follows Putin’s assertion that Washington could help bring Kyiv to the negotiating table .
Zelensky’s office said the Ukrainian president had wished Trump success in ending the war and confirmed that the two leaders would coordinate further steps at the G7, which begins on Tuesday in Biarritz . Multiple outlets reported that Trump first spoke with Zelensky and then with Putin, using the birthday greetings as a diplomatic opening to address a conflict that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 .
The flurry of calls underscores the high stakes ahead of the G7, where Western leaders are expected to weigh fresh sanctions against Moscow and consider further military aid for Kyiv. Analysts note that Trump’s outreach to both sides—amid reports of planned envoys to Russia—signals a potential shift toward direct U.S. mediation, though Washington has yet to outline concrete proposals. For now, the Kremlin’s framing of the conflict as prolonged by Kyiv and its allies sets the stage for tense exchanges in Biarritz, where Trump will face pressure to translate his birthday diplomacy into tangible progress.
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