Donald Trump reportedly made a phone call and made an offer to Vladimir Putin that he wasn’t expecting. The conversation covered everything from Ukraine to a surprising birthday moment.
Donald Trump reportedly has a message for Putin
Donald Trump told Vladimir Putin that ending the war in Ukraine remains critical, Russia’s TASS news agency reported (via The Guardian). Trump also said the US was nearing a peace deal with Iran during the Sunday phone call. Putin adviser Yuri Ushakov described the 55-minute conversation as “friendly and frank.”
Separately, Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about ways to resolve the conflict. Their discussion took place ahead of the G7 summit in France later this week. Zelenskyy posted details of their exchange on Telegram after the call ended.
“I wished President Trump every success, first and foremost in his efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Zelenskyy stated. He further noted that Ukraine’s battlefield position had grown stronger in recent weeks. “We have some good ideas that could help bring peace closer,” the Ukrainian president added.
Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and fighting has now stretched beyond four years. The conflict has surpassed the duration of the First World War, which lasted 1,566 days. Senior Trump officials recently indicated they want the war to conclude “as quickly as possible.”
During the call, Putin wished Trump a happy 80th birthday in what Ushakov described as an “informal” gesture. “Dear Mr President, dear Donald, I wholeheartedly congratulate you, such a bright, remarkable person and politician, on your 80th birthday!” Putin wrote on the Kremlin website. He also stated that he “valued the mutual understanding between us.”
Trump and Putin last met in person in Alaska in August 2025 to pursue a settlement. Zelenskyy likewise wished Trump a happy birthday during their separate conversation on Sunday. Meanwhile, peace talks had largely stalled as the US-Israel military campaign against Iran continues.
