Putin Tells Trump Russia Ready for Peace Talks After June 22

Russian President Vladimir Putin informed US President Donald Trump that Moscow is ready to hold new peace talks with Ukraine. However, he said the talks would begin only after both countries complete the exchange of prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not confirm Ukraine’s participation in the next round of talks. Instead, he simply said, “the exchanges will be completed and the parties will discuss the next step.”

Trump and Putin Speak for the Fifth Time

So far, this was the fifth call between Trump and Putin since Trump returned to the White House. During these calls, Trump has made efforts to rebuild ties with Russia. This stands in contrast to former President Joe Biden’s tougher approach.

As a result, Trump’s shift in policy has surprised U.S. allies. Many fear that American support for Ukraine may shrink. In turn, European nations worry they may have to cover the shortfall if the U.S. withdraws its military or financial help.

Call Covers Iran-Israel War and Warm Ties

During the call, both leaders spoke about their personal relationship. According to the Kremlin, “both leaders expressed satisfaction with their personal relations.” Additionally, they discussed the escalating war between Iran and Israel.

Furthermore, the Kremlin noted that both presidents “communicate in a businesslike manner and seek solutions to pressing issues on the bilateral and international agenda, no matter how complex these issues may be.”

Putin Sends Birthday Wishes, Trump Responds with a Message

Trump posted on Truth Social that Putin had called him to “very nicely wish me a Happy Birthday” on his 79th birthday. However, he added that the more serious part of their call focused on the Iran-Israel war.

“He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end,” Trump wrote, referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Zelensky Reacts to U.S.-Russia Tone

In response, President Zelensky criticized what he saw as overly friendly U.S. communication with Russia. He argued that such a tone could harm efforts to end 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. They do not want to end it,” Zelensky posted on X.

Moreover, he raised concern that the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict might once again reduce U.S. aid to Ukraine. He said, “We would like to see aid to Ukraine not decrease because of this. Last time, this was a factor that slowed down aid to Ukraine.”

Russia and Ukraine Conduct Fourth Prisoner Swap in a Week

Earlier that day, Russia and Ukraine carried out another prisoner exchange. This marked the fourth such swap in just one week. It is part of a wider agreement to return 1,000 wounded soldiers from each side and to recover bodies of the dead.

Zelensky shared photos on Telegram showing returning Ukrainian troops. Many wore camouflage. Some appeared injured. Others hugged family members, called loved ones, or wrapped themselves in Ukrainian flags.

At the same time, Russia’s Defence Ministry released a video of its own. It showed Russian troops cheering, waving flags, and shouting slogans like “Glory to Russia” and “hooray.”

In addition, Ukraine said it received 1,200 more bodies from Russia. Moscow claimed they were “Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel.” However, Ukraine did not say whether it returned any Russian bodies.

Russia Refuses to Halt the War

Despite these exchanges, Russia has not agreed to stop the war. Instead, it continues to demand that Ukraine give up territory and end its cooperation with Western military partners.

Since the invasion began in February 2022, millions of Ukrainians have fled their homes. Cities in the east of the country have been devastated by constant bombing.

Russia Steps Up Attacks in Sumy Region

In recent days, Russia has increased attacks along the frontline, especially in the northeastern region of Sumy. Moscow wants to create a “buffer zone” to protect its own Kursk region, which Ukraine had partly occupied earlier.

However, Zelensky said that Ukrainian forces had stopped the Russian advance. He added that they had retaken one village from Russian control.

In addition, he rejected Russian claims that its troops had entered Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region.

Zelensky said 53,000 Russian soldiers were involved in the Sumy operation.