“Trump” Holds Direct Calls With Zelenskyy and Putin Ahead of NATO Summit
A major diplomatic development unfolded ahead of next week’s NATO Summit as both Kyiv and the Kremlin confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump held separate direct phone calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to Ukrainian officials, Trump’s call with Zelenskyy lasted more than 85 minutes and focused on the battlefield situation, continued military support, and diplomatic efforts to end the war. Zelenskyy later described the conversation as a “very good phone call” and said there is now a “real prospect” for ending the conflict, adding that decisions made by the United States could prove decisive.
The Kremlin said Putin used the conversation to brief Trump on the latest military situation and reiterated Russia’s long-standing position that any peace settlement must include the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the entire Donetsk region, a proposal that Kyiv continues to reject.
The calls come just days before the NATO Summit in Ankara, Türkiye, on July 7–8, where Ukraine, European security, and future allied support are expected to dominate the agenda.