President Donald Trump offered to help broker a resolution to the Ukraine war during a nearly 90-minute call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday.
Kremlin Claims Battlefield Gains
According to a statement released early Sunday by Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, the conversation was “business-like and quite constructive.” Russia said it is seeking a political and diplomatic settlement based on its “fundamental approach.”
Ushakov accused Kyiv and its European allies of escalating the conflict through long-range strikes on Russian oil infrastructure. He said Putin described the battlefield situation, claiming Russian forces are “confidently advancing, liberating one locality after another.”
Russia said on Saturday that it had taken control of Kostiantynivka, an important industrial city in Ukraine’s Donetsk region known for its glassmaking industry. Ukraine has denied this claim.
‘Just Another Russian Lie’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X that the claim was false, calling it “just another Russian lie” and an attempt to create a news story.
He added that if Kostiantynivka were really under Russian control, then Russian President Vladimir Putin would have no issue meeting him there to try to find a diplomatic way to end the war.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, speaking on Russian radio, dismissed Zelensky’s proposed meeting. He said Kostiantynivka was already part of Russia and repeated that the Kremlin’s invitation for Zelensky to meet Putin in Moscow was still open.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy separately called his conversation with Donald Trump “very good.” He said they discussed the war’s 1,200-kilometre front line and agreed to continue talks at next week’s NATO summit in Turkey.
Envoys to Continue Talks
According to Ushakov’s statement, Trump said U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would continue trying to broker a settlement and are prepared to make another visit to Moscow.
Putin acknowledged last month that Russia is going through “a difficult period,” as Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries.
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