Kremlin announces Putin, Trump talking about Iran, Ukraine

(MENAFN) Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held a roughly one-hour phone conversation on Saturday, during which they discussed the recent Israel-Iran attacks and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the Kremlin reported.

Putin’s aide, Yuri Ushakov, described the discussion as “meaningful, frank, and very useful.” Putin strongly condemned Israel’s strikes on Iran, especially since they occurred just before scheduled nuclear talks between Iran and the US on June 15. Despite the tense situation, Ushakov noted that both leaders did not dismiss the possibility of resuming negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program.

On Friday, Iran confirmed that Israeli airstrikes killed Major General Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, and several nuclear scientists. In retaliation, Iran launched dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel, some reportedly breaching Israeli air defenses.

The two presidents also addressed recent prisoner exchanges between Moscow and Kiev. Putin reaffirmed his willingness to continue negotiations with Ukraine after June 22. The exchanges, agreed upon during talks in Istanbul on June 2, focus primarily on seriously wounded, ill, and younger captives. Additionally, Russia unilaterally committed to returning the bodies of over 6,000 deceased Ukrainian soldiers on humanitarian grounds.

Ushakov added that Putin extended birthday greetings to Trump, who turned 79 on Saturday. The aide emphasized that both leaders value their personal rapport, which allows for businesslike communication and efforts to resolve complex bilateral and global issues.

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