Trump offers to help Putin find deal with Ukraine, also speaks with Zelenskiy 5 July

Ukraine

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet during a US-Russia summit on Ukraine at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025

During a close to 90-minute telephone conversation, U.S. President Donald Trump offered to assist Russian President Vladimir Putin in reaching a resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This information was disclosed by Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov. Trump’s initiative aims to facilitate negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and demonstrates his willingness to engage directly with both leaders, as he also communicated with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The call underscores Trump’s active interest in resolving the territorial and political disputes that have persisted between the two countries.

US President Donald Trump has extended an offer to assist Russian President Vladimir Putin in finding a resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov. Ushakov revealed that this offer was made during a nearly 90-minute phone conversation on Saturday, which coincided with U.S. Independence Day. The discussion focused on the Ukraine war and took place in anticipation of Trump’s participation in the upcoming NATO summit scheduled to be held in Ankara, Turkey. This development underscores Trump’s continuing engagement in international diplomatic efforts related to the crisis.

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“The American president once again confirmed his readiness to work towards a rapid end to the fighting and find solutions to overcome the crisis,” stated Ushakov in comments released on Sunday. He characterized the conversation with President Trump as “businesslike and quite constructive,” noting Russia’s pursuit of a political-diplomatic resolution to the conflict, in line with its fundamental approach.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also reported a discussion with Trump on the ongoing war, mentioning the significant 1,200-km (745-mile) front line. Zelenskyy expressed optimism about the possibility of ending the war, emphasizing the crucial role of American resolve, and stated that they agreed to continue their discussions during the upcoming NATO summit.

The summit in Ankara, scheduled for July 7 and 8, will see heads of state from 32 countries, including Trump. Ushakov also accused Kyiv and its European allies of attempting to prolong and escalate the conflict, associating their actions with terrorism against civilians, particularly in light of Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian targets that have impacted fuel supplies in various regions of Russia.

Additionally, Ushakov highlighted President Putin’s portrayal of the battlefield situation, where Russian forces are reportedly advancing and liberating territories. However, on Saturday, both Zelenskyy and Ukraine’s General Staff countered this narrative, asserting that Ukrainian forces still maintained control over the strategically significant city of Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region, despite claims from Russian commanders of its capture.

In recent months, the front lines have seen minimal progress for both Ukraine and Russia, primarily due to the impact of drones that impede heavy vehicle movements and cause significant losses. Russian official Ushakov has accused Ukraine and its European allies of intentions to prolong and escalate the conflict, alongside engaging in acts of terrorism against civilians. This statement highlights Ukraine’s long-range attacks on Russian targets, particularly those associated with the oil industry, which have resulted in fuel shortages across various regions in Russia.

Diplomatic Efforts to End the Ukraine War

Shakeout reported that Putin portrayed the current state of the battlefield, asserting that Russian armed forces are making significant advances by liberating one locality after another. Russian commanders informed Putin that they had taken control of the strategically significant city of Kostiantynivka located in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. However, this assertion was countered on Saturday by Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and Ukraine’s General Staff, who maintained that Kyiv’s forces still held control over the city. Additionally, Zelenskyy had requested a direct meeting with Putin last month, but the Kremlin leader declined the proposal.

Ushakov reported that President Trump indicated US envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would continue their efforts to broker a settlement and were willing to visit Moscow again. He noted that US diplomatic initiatives have mostly stagnated as Washington prioritizes its engagement in the conflict with Iran. During this context, Putin conveyed optimism that US diplomatic efforts regarding the Iran situation could facilitate the discovery of mutually acceptable, long-term solutions to critical settlement issues.

Shakeout reported that during a conversation, Putin expressed optimism regarding U.S. diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the Iran conflict, stating hopes for “mutually acceptable long-term solutions” to key settlement issues. Additionally, Putin reminded Trump of his open invitation to visit Moscow.

Zelenskiy, in a Telegram post, characterized his dialogue with the U.S. president as “very good.” Their discussion encompassed the ongoing war along a 1,200-km (746-mile) front line. Zelenskiy emphasized the “real prospect” of ending the war, asserting that American resolve would be crucial in this context. He mentioned that both he and Trump agreed to continue their discussions during the upcoming NATO meeting.

U.S. Envoys

U.S. ENVOYS reports that Trump, as quoted by Ushakov, indicated that American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would continue their attempts to negotiate a settlement and were willing to return to Moscow for further discussions. However, U.S. diplomatic initiatives are deemed to be largely ineffective at this point due to the country’s preoccupation with the conflict in Iran.

Ushakov relayed that during the conversation, Putin expressed optimism that U.S. actions regarding Iran could pave the way for long-term solutions to key issues related to the settlement. Additionally, Putin reminded Trump of his standing invitation to visit Moscow. In a parallel development, Zelenskiy shared on his Telegram account that he had a very positive conversation with the U.S. president, which notably included discussions about the ongoing war along the extensive 1,200-km (746-mile) front line.