WASHINGTON — President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke for about an hour on Tuesday after US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Moscow and Kyiv.
The two leaders “exchanged views” on the results of that visit, top Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.
Kushner said the envoys brought “new” ideas to try to bring about a cease-fire, but the Financial Times reports he and Witkoff only brought updated versions of previous US peace proposals.
The status of the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas remains the key point of contention between the two combatants, with both claiming the industrial heartland as their own.
Ushakov also claimed that Trump teased the possibility of reopening relations with Russia if Moscow agreed to a peace deal with Ukraine.
“The conversation focused on the Ukrainian settlement. Donald Trump clearly expressed the desirability of a swift end to the conflict, which would immediately open up impressive and far-reaching prospects for a full restoration of US-Russian relations,” he reported
The White House did not respond to a request for comment, but the Kyiv Independent reported Trump will also speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later Tuesday.
Ushakov also said Putin offered his reassurances that Russia had no intention of launching a wider war on Europe after CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow last week to warn against such an incursion.
“Given the speculation about Russia’s alleged hostile intentions against European states,” he said, “it was emphasized that we harbor no thought of aggressive plans against Europe.”
