Putin and Zelensky hold separate calls with Trump on his birthday

On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky each held separate telephone conversations with U.S. President Donald Trump, who was celebrating his 80th birthday, as the war in Ukraine remained a central concern ahead of the upcoming G7 summit.

The conversation between Putin and Trump lasted just under an hour, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said in a briefing to reporters.

Regarding Ukraine, Ushakov said Trump underscored the urgency of ending hostilities and expressed his willingness to work with European allies and Kyiv to achieve that, including during the forthcoming G7 summit.

Trump added that recent strikes on civilian targets in Russia complicate any settlement — a point the White House has not confirmed or publicly addressed — and suggested that a swift resolution to the war could usher in a fundamentally new level of U.S.–Russian relations, Ushakov reported.

Putin contended that Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure would not alter Kyiv’s battlefield stance, and remarked that if Zelensky wishes to meet him, he should travel to Moscow, Ushakov reported.

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son‑in‑law Jared Kushner are expected to travel to Russia in the near future, Ushakov added.

The leaders also discussed Iran, with Trump stating that a U.S.–Iran agreement was near and expressing hope that the outcomes could be announced today, Ushakov said.

Constructive Conversation

In a Telegram statement on Sunday, Zelensky said he had a constructive conversation with Trump.

Beyond congratulating Trump on his birthday, Zelensky thanked the U.S. president for his support of Ukraine.

He said they discussed ways to accelerate peace, though no specific details were provided.

Zelensky also briefed Trump on the strengthening of Ukraine’s position along the eastern front line.

He added that further discussions would take place at the G7 summit, he said.

The calls occurred as Trump prepared to celebrate his birthday with a UFC fight on the White House lawn Sunday evening — an unprecedented event in American history.

After the event, Trump will fly overnight to France for the G7 summit, where Ukraine is expected to be a key agenda item on Tuesday, and Zelensky is scheduled to attend.

Deadly Drone Attacks Hit Russia

The war in Ukraine has long frustrated Trump, who as a candidate promised to end the conflict within 24 hours of taking office; since then, he has refrained from repeating that claim and tends to avoid the topic when pressed.

He has also become increasingly frustrated by the Israel‑Iran conflict, which has driven up gas prices, destabilized financial markets, and raised inflation concerns.

These diplomatic exchanges unfolded amid ongoing fighting.

A Ukrainian drone attack overnight killed one person and wounded nine others in a residential building in the regional capital of Russia’s Oryol region, Governor Andrei Klychkov said on Sunday.

Another drone strike on Sunday killed one person in Russia’s Bryansk region, local authorities reported.

A separate drone strike hit fuel storage facilities in Russia’s Yaroslavl region, about 700 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, igniting fires.

Zelensky said the strike hit “an oil facility that is vital to the aggressor state’s reserves.”

In recent months, Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russian oil and gas infrastructure, arguing that the sector finances Moscow’s invasion.

(FRANCE 24 with AP)

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