WASHINGTON/MOSCOW, July 5, 2026— US President Donald Trump has offered to assist Russian President Vladimir Putin in finding a solution to end the war in Ukraine, according to the Kremlin. The proposal was reportedly made during a 90-minute phone conversation between the two leaders ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara.
Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said on Sunday that the discussion focused on ways to achieve a political and diplomatic settlement to the conflict. He described the call as “professional and highly constructive.”
According to Ushakov, Trump reaffirmed his readiness to work toward a swift end to the war and to help find a lasting solution to the ongoing crisis.
He said Russia remains committed to seeking a political and diplomatic resolution while safeguarding its fundamental national interests.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he also spoke with Trump on Saturday. Writing on Telegram, Zelensky said the two leaders discussed the situation along the 1,200-kilometre front line and agreed to continue consultations during the NATO summit.
“There is a real opportunity to end this war, and America’s determination will be critically important,” Zelensky said.
The NATO summit is scheduled for July 7-8 in Ankara, where leaders from the alliance’s 32 member states, including Trump, are expected to attend.
Despite months of heavy fighting, neither Russia nor Ukraine has made a decisive breakthrough on the battlefield. The extensive use of drones has significantly hindered the movement of heavy military equipment while inflicting substantial losses on both sides.
Ushakov also accused Ukraine, with support from its European allies, of prolonging the conflict and targeting civilian infrastructure. He pointed to recent long-range Ukrainian strikes on facilities linked to Russia’s oil industry, which he said had caused fuel shortages in several Russian regions.
He further claimed that Putin briefed Trump on what he described as Russia’s continued military advances, asserting that Russian forces were steadily gaining control of additional territory.
Earlier on Friday, Russian military commanders claimed their troops had captured the strategically important eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region. However, Zelensky and Ukraine’s General Staff rejected the claim on Saturday, insisting the city remains under Ukrainian control.
Last month, Zelensky invited Putin to hold direct bilateral talks, but the Kremlin declined the proposal.
