Moscow has expressed willingness to restart peace negotiations with Kyiv later this month, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who discussed the matter in a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday, AFP reported.
The conversation marked the fifth call between the two leaders since Trump returned to office, as the Republican administration works to recalibrate U.S.-Russia relations.
Putin indicated that Russia is prepared to engage in new talks after June 22, once the ongoing prisoner and fallen soldier exchange with Ukraine is completed.
The announcement comes amid rising concerns in Ukraine about shifting U.S. priorities and the possibility of reduced Western military support. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the ongoing exchanges but did not confirm Kyiv’s participation in the proposed talks. “The exchanges will be completed, and the parties will discuss the next step,” he said.
Zelensky also expressed concern over what he described as the “too warm” tone of the U.S. toward Russia, warning that it could undermine global efforts to end the war. “Any signals of reduced aid or treating Ukraine and Russia as equals are deeply unfair. Russia is the aggressor. They started this war. They do not want to end it,” he stated on X.
The Kremlin described Saturday’s call as “businesslike,” focused on resolving complex international and bilateral issues. Both presidents reportedly expressed satisfaction with their personal rapport. Trump’s approach signals a clear departure from that of his predecessor, Joe Biden, whose administration maintained a firm stance against Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Kyiv’s anxieties have been further heightened by recent developments in the Middle East, where Israel has launched a major offensive against Iran. Zelensky cautioned that the renewed conflict risks diverting Western attention and resources from Ukraine. “We would like to see aid to Ukraine not decrease because of this,” he added.
Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine carried out their fourth prisoner swap in a week on Saturday. The exchanges are part of a broader agreement to repatriate 1,000 wounded prisoners from each side and return the bodies of fallen soldiers.
Images released by Ukraine showed returning servicemen wrapped in national flags, tearfully reuniting with loved ones. Russia also shared footage of its troops arriving home, many chanting patriotic slogans.
As part of the Istanbul-brokered deal, Ukraine reported receiving 1,200 unidentified bodies from Russia, said to be Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel. It remains unclear whether Kyiv returned any bodies to Russia.
Despite progress on humanitarian exchanges, peace talks remain complicated. Russia continues to demand that Ukraine surrender territory and abandon Western military aid—conditions Kyiv firmly rejects.
On the front lines, Russia has intensified its military operations in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the northeastern Sumy region, where it aims to establish a buffer zone to protect the adjacent Kursk region in Russia.
Zelensky said Ukrainian forces had pushed back the latest Russian offensive and recaptured a village—contradicting Russian claims that their troops had advanced into Dnipropetrovsk. He estimated that around 53,000 Russian soldiers are currently engaged in the Sumy offensive.
