Russian President Vladimir Putin told US President Donald Trump on Saturday that Moscow is ready to hold a new round of peace talks with Kyiv after June 22, once both sides complete the exchange of prisoners and soldiers’ bodies.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky did not specify whether Kyiv would agree to the next talks, stating only that “the exchanges will be completed and the parties will discuss the next step.”
The call between Putin and Trump marked their fifth conversation since the Republican took office, signaling a shift from the previous Biden administration’s tougher stance on Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Trump’s approach has unsettled Washington’s allies, raising questions about the future of US aid to Kyiv and leaving Europe scrambling to compensate if the US reduces its military, financial, or intelligence support.
The Kremlin said the two leaders “expressed satisfaction with their personal relations” and “communicate in a businesslike manner, seeking solutions to pressing bilateral and international issues, no matter how complex.”
Zelensky, however, urged the US to “shift tone” in its dialogue with Russia, calling the current approach “too warm” and unhelpful for ending the war.
“Any signals of reduced aid, or of treating Ukraine and Russia as equals, are deeply unfair. Russia is the aggressor. They started this war and do not want to end it,” Zelensky wrote on X.
He also expressed concern that rising tensions in the Israel-Iran conflict could divert US aid away from Ukraine, at a time when European support is stalling without strong US engagement.
“We want to see aid to Ukraine not decrease because of this,” he said. “Last time, this was a factor that slowed down aid.”
More prisoner exchanges
Earlier Saturday, Ukraine and Russia carried out their fourth prisoner swap in a week, part of a larger agreement to repatriate 1,000 wounded prisoners from each side and return the bodies of fallen soldiers.
These prisoner exchanges remain the only tangible outcome of recent talks in Istanbul.
Photos shared by Zelensky on Telegram showed men of various ages, many with shaved heads, dressed in camouflage and draped in Ukrainian flags. Some were injured; others were seen hugging relatives, making phone calls, or smiling.
Moscow’s defense ministry released videos showing men in uniform waving Russian flags, chanting “Glory to Russia” and “hooray,” some raising fists in celebration.
Under the Istanbul agreements, Kyiv also received 1,200 unidentified bodies from Russia, which Moscow claimed were Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel. Ukraine has not confirmed if it has returned any bodies to Russia.
Russia has rejected calls to halt its offensive, demanding Ukraine cede territory and renounce Western military support for peace.
Since launching its invasion in February 2022, Russia’s assault has displaced millions and devastated towns and cities across eastern Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Russia has intensified its operations along the front line, especially in the northeastern Sumy region, aiming to create a “buffer zone” to protect its neighboring Kursk region, some of which was previously occupied by Ukraine.
Zelensky said Russia’s advance in Sumy was halted, with Ukrainian forces recapturing a village. He also denied Russian claims that their troops entered the Dnipropetrovsk region, adding that about 53,000 Russian soldiers were involved in the Sumy operation.
AFP
