Trump, Putin Talk an Hour on Ukraine Deal

President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone for about an hour Tuesday about ending the war in Ukraine, days after US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner carried a revived American peace plan to Moscow and Kyiv.

The two leaders "exchanged views" on the results of that trip, top Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.

Ushakov said Trump told Putin a swift end to the war "would immediately open up impressive and far-reaching prospects for a full restoration of US-Russian relations."

The eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas remains the central sticking point, with both sides claiming the industrial heartland.

The Europe Assurance

Ushakov also said Putin used the call to promise that Russia is not planning a wider war on the continent: "Given the speculation about Russia's alleged hostile intentions against European states, it was emphasized that we harbor no thought of aggressive plans against Europe."

The assurance follows European officials' warnings about Russian sabotage campaigns on their soil, according to CTV News. The New York Post reported that CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow last week to warn against any such incursion.