Trump offers to help end Ukraine war in Putin call
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- Putin received a nearly 90-minute phone call from Trump on Saturday ahead of the NATO summit, during which Trump offered to help find a solution to the Ukraine war, per Kremlin aide Ushakov
- Zelenskyy also spoke with Trump on Saturday about the war's 1,200-km (745-mile) front line, writing on Telegram there is 'a real prospect to end this war' and agreeing to continue talks at the NATO summit
- NATO summit in Ankara runs July 7-8 with heads of state from 32 countries including Trump; Ushakov said Russia seeks a 'political-diplomatic resolution' taking account of 'Russia's fundamental approach'
- Kostiantynivka was claimed captured by Russian commanders in a Friday report to Putin, a claim Zelenskyy and Ukraine's General Staff dismissed, saying Kyiv's forces still control the eastern Donetsk city
- Putin refused Zelenskyy's request last month for a one-on-one meeting, while Ushakov accused Kyiv and European allies of 'counting on extending and even escalating the conflict'
- Witkoff and Kushner will keep trying to broker a settlement and are prepared to visit Moscow again, per Ushakov, who added that US diplomatic efforts have largely stalled as Washington focuses on the Iran conflict
Why it matters: Both sides agreed to continue talks at the July 7-8 NATO summit in Ankara, but Ushakov's acknowledgment that US efforts have largely stalled amid the Iran focus shows Ukraine diplomacy is competing for bandwidth. Meanwhile, Russia's claim to have captured Kostiantynivka — flatly denied by Kyiv — underscores that battlefield narratives diverge sharply heading into any negotiations.
