Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said on Sunday morning that US President Donald Trump had offered to help find a solution to the war in Ukraine during a nearly 90-minute phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
The offer was made on Saturday, US Independence Day, as Trump prepared to attend next week's NATO summit in Turkey, Ushakov said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed separately that he had also spoken with Trump.
Kremlin Calls the Conversation "Constructive"
According to Ushakov, Trump "once again confirmed his readiness to work towards a rapid end to the fighting and find solutions to overcome the crisis" during the call with the Russian president.
Ushakov characterized the exchange as "business-like and quite constructive", noting that Moscow is pursuing a "political-diplomatic resolution of the conflict, with due account of Russia's fundamental approach".
He went on to accuse Kyiv and its European allies of "counting on extending and even escalating the conflict, and on terrorism against civilians", an apparent reference to Ukraine's long-range strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, which have led to fuel shortages in several regions of the country.
Putin, Ushakov said, "depicted the real situation on the battlefield where the Russian armed forces are confidently advancing, liberating one locality after another".
Russian commanders had told Putin on Friday that their forces had seized the strategically important city of Kostyantynivka in Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine. Zelensky and the Ukrainian General Staff disputed the claim the following day, saying Ukrainian troops remained in control of the city.
Russia insists that any resolution must give Moscow full control of Ukraine's Donbas region. Ukraine has rejected this demand, and last month Zelensky called on Putin to meet him in person, an offer the Kremlin leader turned down.
Washington's Envoys to Pursue Further Talks
Ushakov quoted Trump as saying that Washington's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would continue working to broker a deal and were ready for another visit to Moscow.
US diplomatic efforts have largely stalled as Washington's attention remains fixed on the war with Iran.
According to Ushakov, Putin expressed hope during the conversation that US diplomatic efforts in the Iranian conflict would "allow for mutually acceptable long-term solutions to be found on key issues of a settlement".
Putin also reminded Trump that he has an open invitation to visit Moscow, Ushakov said.
Writing on his Telegram account, Zelensky described the conversation with the US president as "very good", noting that it included a discussion of the war's 1,200-km-long front line.
"There is a real prospect to end this war and American resolve will have a crucial meaning", he said, adding that he and Trump had agreed to continue discussions at the NATO summit.
(Reuters, im)