Putin tells Trump Russia has no aggressive plans for Europe
Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump held extensive telephone talks on Tuesday to discuss diplomatic efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine, following an exploratory mission by US envoys to Moscow and Kyiv.
Diplomatic envoys and economic prospects
The roughly one-hour conversation was “constructive and very frank,” Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters, AFP reports. The discussion centered on ideas presented to Moscow by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who visited both the Russian and Ukrainian capitals over the weekend.
According to Ushakov, Trump reiterated his desire to halt the conflict as quickly as possible. Putin welcomed Washington's mediation efforts and praised Trump’s personal role, noting that an end to hostilities could open significant opportunities to restore bilateral trade and economic relations.
European security reassurances
Addressing broader geopolitical concerns, Putin told Trump that Russia “has absolutely no aggressive plans against the European Union,” according to the Kremlin aide. Ushakov claimed that Western rhetoric surrounding a Russian threat serves primarily as a pretext to bolster military spending and channel aid to Ukraine.
The Russian leader also delivered what the Kremlin described as a detailed assessment of the military situation on the front line, outlining steps Washington could realistically take to accelerate a resolution. Both sides agreed to keep communication channels open and schedule further discussions as needed.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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