Putin, Trump Discuss Ukraine, No Truce Announced

Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump held a nearly hour-long phone conversation centered on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Middle East tensions, and potential economic cooperation. Putin reaffirmed that Russia would not abandon its objectives in Ukraine and insisted on addressing the root causes of the conflict, rejecting Trump's call for an immediate ceasefire. Both leaders expressed openness to diplomatic negotiations, with Putin emphasizing political and diplomatic solutions for regional disputes, including those involving Iran and Israel. Despite discussions, no progress was made on scheduling a personal meeting between the two presidents or on the next round of negotiations in Istanbul between Russia and Ukraine. Trump is expected to hold a separate call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss the suspension of certain U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine. Overall, the talks yielded no breakthroughs, highlighting ongoing geopolitical complexities and the persistence of divergent positions regarding the Ukraine conflict.