Trump offered over phone to help Putin find deal with Ukraine, Kremlin aide says

July 5 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump spoke on the phone with Russian leader Vladimir Putin for about 90 minutes and offered to help find a solution to the Ukraine war, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said publicly early on Sunday.

Ushakov said that Trump made this offer as part of his participation in the NATO summit to be held in Türkiye next week.

“The American president once again confirmed his readiness to work towards a rapid end to the conflict and finding solutions to overcome the crisis,” Ushakov said. he said.

He said Russia was “seeking a political-diplomatic solution to the conflict, taking into account Russia’s basic approach.”

Ushakov accused Kiev and its European allies of “counting on the expansion and even escalation of the conflict and terrorism against civilians.” He was referring to Ukraine’s long-range strikes against Russian targets, mainly linked to the oil industry.

He quoted Trump as saying that Washington’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would continue to try to broker a deal and were ready to make another visit to Moscow.

Ushakov said Putin “depicted the real situation on the battlefield, where Russian armed forces confidently advanced and liberated one region after another.”

Russian commanders told Putin on Friday that Moscow’s troops had captured the strategically important city of Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine.

On Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the Ukrainian General Staff rejected this claim, saying Kiev forces still control the city.

(Reuters reporting; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and David Gregorio)