US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he had a "good and very productive" phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly before meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Florida.
Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin's foreign policy adviser, later reported the details of that phone call.
The call, he said, was initiated by Trump and lasted one hour and fifteen minutes. Ushakov said it had a "friendly tone" and the leaders discussed Ukraine. Trump, according to Ushakov, "listened attentively to the Russian point of view" on the prospects for a settlement of the conflict. The two leaders also exchanged Christmas wishes.
Ushakov declared that Putin and Trump are in agreement that Ukraine must make a decision on Donbas without delay. He also stated that both leaders disagree with the European-Ukrainian pressure for a temporary ceasefire that would last until both sides sign peace agreements.
Putin and Trump are due to speak again after Trump's meeting with Zelensky in Florida. That will include talks with European leaders via video conference.
(reuters, sie)