Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held a lengthy phone call to discuss the escalating situation in the Middle East and the ongoing war in Ukraine. The conversation focused on Israel’s military actions against Iran’s nuclear program and the retaliatory strikes by Iran.
Trump expressed his desire for an end to the conflict, stating that he told Putin “his war should also end.” Putin briefed Trump on his recent talks with Iranian leaders and reiterated Russia’s proposal to find mutually acceptable solutions on the Iranian nuclear issue.
The Russia-Iran relationship has strengthened since Putin launched a war on Ukraine in 2022. Tehran provided Moscow with drones, missiles, and other support, according to US intelligence findings.
Trump described the regional situation as “very alarming,” but acknowledged the effectiveness of Israel’s strikes on targets in Iran. The leaders did not rule out a possible return to negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program.
Putin and Trump also discussed the exchange of war prisoners between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides trading more prisoners under an arrangement brokered during talks between the two sides in Istanbul earlier this month.
The phone call marked the first significant communication between the two leaders since Trump left office.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/putin-trump-discussed-middle-east-tensions-ukraine-war-122846492