US President Donald Trump said Saturday that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed during a phone call that the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran “should end.” The hour-long call, which Trump said was initiated by Putin to wish him a “very nice” 79th birthday greeting, also touched on Russia’s war in Ukraine and recent prisoner exchanges.“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 his social media platform Truth Social. “He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end.”The US President added that little time was spent discussing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but said, “that will be for next week.” He confirmed that “large numbers of prisoners are being exchanged, immediately, from both sides,” referencing the ongoing Ukraine-Russia prisoner swaps.Trump’s comments come amid growing global concern over the widening conflict between Iran and Israel, with fears of further destabilisation across the Middle East. On Friday, Israel launched a large-scale strike on Iranian territory, prompting condemnation from Moscow and unease in Kyiv, which fears a shift in US military focus away from Ukraine.
Putin proposes new peace talks with Kyiv after June 22
The Kremlin’s readout of the call focused more on Ukraine than on Iran, stating that Putin told Trump Russia is prepared to hold a new round of peace negotiations with Ukraine after June 22, once ongoing prisoner and body exchanges are completed. It was their fifth call since Trump returned to the White House, part of his broader efforts to reset relations with Moscow and depart from the approach of his predecessor, Joe Biden.“Both leaders expressed satisfaction with their personal relations,” the Kremlin said, adding that they “communicate in a businesslike manner and seek solutions to pressing issues on the bilateral and international agenda, no matter how complex these issues may be.”Russian officials also highlighted progress in implementing the Istanbul agreements, which facilitated recent exchanges of wounded prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers. On Saturday, Ukraine and Russia carried out their fourth such exchange in a week, with Ukraine recovering another 1,200 bodies of individuals Moscow claimed were “Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel.”Videos released by both sides showed returning prisoners draped in national flags, some visibly injured, being welcomed with embraces, calls to family members, and chants of national slogans.
Kyiv urges US to maintain aid amid Israel-Iran escalation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not confirm whether Ukraine would agree to participate in renewed talks with Russia, only saying: “The exchanges will be completed and the parties will discuss the next step.”Zelensky warned that growing tensions in the Middle East risked shifting American attention — and resources — away from Ukraine’s war effort. “We would like to see aid to Ukraine not decrease because of this,” he said, recalling a similar slowdown in support last time tensions flared in the region.He also criticised what he described as an overly conciliatory tone between Washington and Moscow. “Any signals of reduced aid, or of treating Ukraine and Russia as equals, are deeply unfair. Russia is the aggressor. They started this war. They do not want to end it,” Zelensky said on X (formerly Twitter).
Russian troops intensify operations in Sumy
Meanwhile, fighting continues to rage across Ukraine’s northeastern front. Zelensky reported that Ukrainian forces had successfully pushed back Russian advances in the Sumy region, regaining control of at least one village.Russia has been seeking to create a “buffer zone” along its border with Ukraine by intensifying military operations in Sumy to shield the adjacent Kursk region. Moscow previously claimed gains in Dnipropetrovsk, but Zelensky dismissed those claims.Ukrainian officials estimate that 53,000 Russian troops were deployed in the Sumy offensive. The ongoing assault forms part of a broader three-year campaign that has devastated Ukrainian infrastructure, displaced millions, and claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Allies uneasy over Trump’s posture toward Moscow
Trump’s continued pivot towards warmer ties with Moscow has caused alarm among US allies, especially in Europe, who fear a potential rollback of US financial, military, and intelligence support for Kyiv.In previous weeks, the Biden administration had maintained a firm stance against Russia’s actions, but Trump’s approach has created uncertainty over future US foreign policy. European partners are reportedly scrambling to assess how they might fill any aid gap should the US reduce support.As geopolitical flashpoints widen from Eastern Europe to the Middle East, pressure is mounting on global leaders to maintain a coordinated response.