Trump, Putin hold ‘frank’ phone call as US restarts Ukraine deal efforts

United States President Donald Trump has spoken by phone with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as the White House ramps up efforts to reach a peace accord in Ukraine.

Key points

• After Russia introduced a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, considered the breadbasket of Europe, the war began in February 2022.
• Authorities in Ukraine stated Russian attacks on Tuesday morning killed at least five civilians and wounded 25 others in Kyiv.
• Last year, Trump invited him to Alaska for his first visit on US soil since 2015.
• According to Ushakov, Putin talked with Trump regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine and Russia's aims to advance its military goals on the battlefield.
• Russian authorities noted three individuals killed in the Bryansk and Kursk regions, with 13 others wounded.

On Tuesday, Yury Ushakov, Putin's foreign affairs adviser, described the two leaders as having a "constructive and quite frank" hour-long conversation.

"An objective and thorough analysis of the ongoing special military operation and generally our view of prospective battlefield advances and the achievement of the special military operation's goals and tasks was given, " Ushakov remarked.

In practice, the adviser continued that Putin pushed back against rising concern that Russia could launch future attacks in Europe, including on NATO members.

"It was underlined that we don't have any aggressive plans regarding Europe, " Ushakov remarked.

Meanwhile, the White House did not return Al Jazeera's request for comment on the documented call.

Meanwhile, the phone call comes just days after US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff held separate meetings with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss what Trump has described as "a proposal to end the war", Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.

Ushakov remarked to journalists Putin and Trump "exchanged views on the outcome of the visits", saying some "very good, worthwhile ideas" were presented.

After his Sunday session with the US envoys concluded, Zelenskyy thanked Trump for "allowing them to come" to Ukraine, despite the ongoing fighting. It was briefly paused for the negotiations.

"It is particularly notable that the delegation has arrived to see us. We have been waiting a long time for Steve and Jared, Witkoff and Kushner, " Zelenskyy remarked.

"To us, it is very important to do everything so that this war ends, " he continued.

Notably, the meetings, despite being lauded by all sides, appeared to produce no breakthrough on ending the fighting. After the brief weekend truce, both countries resumed strikes.

Meanwhile, Russian authorities noted three individuals killed in the Bryansk and Kursk regions, with 13 others wounded. Ukrainian attacks on Russian-annexed Crimea additionally killed approximately five residents, according to local authorities.

Trump has created ending the war a priority of his second administration, pledging on the campaign trail that he could achieve a settlement within 24 hours.

He afterwards backtracked on that claim, calling it an exaggeration. Faced with reports that certain US munitions stocks are dwindling, Trump has repeatedly blamed Ukraine for putting a drain on the country's missile supplies and finances – though critics point to US actions against Iran as a major factor.

While Trump has had a rocky relationship with Ukraine and its president, he has cultivated a close relationship with Putin, saying they went through "a hell of a lot" together.

For context, the Trump administration has faced criticism for seeking to end the war in Ukraine without fully involving Ukrainian and European authorities. Trump and Zelenskyy are projected to meet afterwards in the month, according to Ukrainian authorities.

For now, trump, Putin hold 'frank' phone call as US restarts Ukraine deal efforts remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.