Putin, Zelensky speak with Trump ahead of G7 summit
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- Putin spoke with Trump by phone for just under an hour Sunday, according to Russian aide Yuri Ushakov, who said Trump emphasized ending hostilities and expressed readiness to push European allies and Kyiv toward a settlement at the upcoming G7.
- Per Ushakov's account, Trump told Putin that recent strikes on Russian civilian targets complicate a settlement and suggested ending the war quickly could open the door to 'a truly new quality of U.S.-Russian relations' — though the White House neither confirmed nor commented on the call.
- Putin argued that Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure won't shift the battlefield and challenged Zelensky to 'come to Moscow' if he wants a meeting, per Ushakov.
- Zelensky described his own call with Trump as 'wonderful,' said he briefed Trump on improvements along Ukraine's eastern front, and agreed to continue discussions at the G7 summit, which he is due to join in France.
- The diplomatic exchanges came as Ukrainian drone strikes killed one person in Oryol region and another in Bryansk region overnight, with a separate hit on fuel storage in Yaroslavl roughly 440 miles from the border — a target Zelensky said was 'important for the reserve of the aggressor state.'
- U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to travel to Russia soon, and Trump told Putin a U.S. agreement with Iran was close, per Ushakov.
Why it matters: With Zelensky joining the G7 and U.S. envoys Witkoff and Kushner heading to Russia, the diplomatic machinery keeps moving even as fighting escalates — Ukrainian drone strikes hit fuel depots 440 miles from the border. Putin's 'come to Moscow' demand underscores how far apart the two sides remain on even the basic terms of meeting.
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