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Russian President Vladimir Putin and United States President Donald Trump discussed the Middle East conflict and the war in Ukraine during a phone call on Wednesday, according to the Kremlin.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the conversation lasted more than 90 minutes and described it as frank and businesslike.
He said both leaders paid particular attention to developments involving Iran and the Persian Gulf.
According to Ushakov, Putin considered Trump’s decision to extend the ceasefire with Iran to be the right step, saying it could create room for negotiations and help stabilise the situation.
At the same time, Putin reportedly warned that any renewed military action by the United States and Israel would have severe consequences for Iran, neighbouring countries and the wider international community.
“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.
“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.
Ushakov added that Russia remained committed to supporting diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the Middle East conflict.
He stated that the call was initiated by Moscow.
The two leaders also discussed the war in Ukraine, now in its fifth year since Russia launched its invasion in 2022.
Ushakov said Trump requested an update on the battlefield situation, and Putin responded by saying Russian forces held the strategic initiative and were pushing back Ukrainian positions.
He added that both presidents shared similar views on the conduct of the government in Kyiv under President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing it of prolonging the conflict with European backing.
“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 position.
“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.”
Ushakov said Putin also expressed readiness to declare a ceasefire during Victory Day celebrations, and that Trump supported the proposal, noting the holiday commemorates a shared wartime victory.
Russia marks Victory Day on May 9 each year to celebrate the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, traditionally with a military parade in Moscow.
The Kremlin said earlier on Wednesday that this year’s celebrations would be scaled back because of the threat of possible Ukrainian retaliatory strikes.
Russia’s war in Ukraine has destroyed large areas of the country, killed thousands of civilians and displaced millions of people.
