NEW: Trump, Putin speak over phone to address ending Israel-Iran conflict
“We talked at length. Much less time was spent talking about Russia/Ukraine, but that will be for next week.”
President Donald Trump revealed Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin called him in the morning to congratulate him on his 79th birthday and discuss bringing an end to the conflict between Israel and Iran.
“President Putin called this morning to very nicely wish me a Happy Birthday, but to more importantly, talk about Iran, a country he knows very well.” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We talked at length. Much less time was spent talking about Russia/Ukraine, but that will be for next week. He is doing the planned prisoner swaps – large numbers of prisoners are being exchanged, immediately, from both sides. The call lasted approximately 1 hour. He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end.”
According to the Associated Press, Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, confirmed the leaders held a 50-minute phone call on Saturday, where they discussed the situation in the Middle East and touched on Ukraine peace talks. Ushakov said Putin briefed Trump on recent discussions with Israeli and Iranian leadership and reaffirmed Russia’s position in seeking a mutually acceptable solution regarding Iran’s nuclear program. He also said that Putin condemned Israel’s military operation against Iran.
“The dangerous escalation of the situation in the Middle East was naturally at the center of the exchange of opinions,” Ushakov told reporters. “Vladimir Putin, having condemned the military operation against Iran, expressed serious concern about the possible escalation of the conflict.”
Ushakov added that Putin also spoke with Trump about the implementation of agreements made in peace talks in Istanbul between Russia and Ukraine, including exchanging prisoners of war.
“Our president noted that an exchange of prisoners of war is taking place, including seriously wounded and prisoners of war under 25 years of age,” Ushakov said.
