Donald Trump told Vladimir Putin that ending Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine was critical and that he was prepared to help, reported Russia’s TASS news agency.
During a phone call on Sunday, Trump also informed the Russian president that the US was nearing a peace deal with Iran as the US-Israel war against the country continues, according to Yuri Ushakov, a Putin adviser. The call between Trump and Putin, which lasted about an hour, was described as “friendly and frank” by Ushakov.
Fighting between Russia and Ukraine has continued for more than four years since Russia launched an invasion into Ukraine in February 2022. The war has now lasted longer than the first world war, which continued for 1,566 days. Peace negotiations have largely been on pause, but Trump officials have recently stated that they want the war in Ukraine to end “as quickly as possible”, according to one senior official who briefed reporters during the G7 summit last week.
During the call, which lasted 55 minutes, Putin also wished Trump a happy 80th birthday in an “informal” manner, Ushakov said.
“Dear Mr President, dear Donald, I wholeheartedly congratulate you, such a bright, remarkable person and politician, on your 80th birthday!” Putin said in his greeting on the Kremlin website, quoted by Russian news agencies.
Putin’s greeting said he “valued the mutual understanding between us, which allows us to discuss ... even the most complex issues on the bilateral and international agenda openly and frankly.”
“I am certain that together we could truly give Russian-American relations a new quality, and also do much to ensure security and stability on the world stage,” Putin wrote.
The two leaders last met in Alaska in August 2025 in a bid to reach a settlement of the war pitting Ukraine against Russia.
Trump previously announced plans to celebrate his birthday, which is on Sunday, with a cage match on the White House South Lawn. The $60m “UFC Freedom 250” event will feature a 92ft steel structure, which some have likened to a colosseum, and host seven fighting bouts.
Reuters contributed reporting