Putin Tells Trump Russia Is Ready For Next Round Of Ukraine Talks

Putin Tells Trump Russia Ready for New Ukraine Peace Talks After Prisoner Exchanges

Russian President Vladimir Putin informed former U.S. President Donald Trump during a phone call on Saturday that Moscow is prepared to begin a new round of peace talks with Ukraine after June 22, following the completion of ongoing prisoner and body exchanges between the warring nations.

The call marked the fifth time the two leaders have spoken since Trump returned to office and sought to reset U.S.-Russia relations, diverging significantly from former President Joe Biden’s more adversarial approach.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky did not confirm whether Kyiv would participate in the next round of negotiations but acknowledged that discussions would follow the completion of the exchanges.

While the Kremlin described the conversation as “businesslike,” noting that both leaders expressed satisfaction with their personal rapport, Zelensky criticized what he viewed as an overly warm tone in U.S.-Russia communications. He warned that treating both sides equally undermines the reality of the war: “Russia is the aggressor. They started this war.”

Zelensky also voiced concerns over the potential decline in U.S. aid to Ukraine amid the growing conflict between Israel and Iran. He urged Washington not to divert resources, reminding the international community that such shifts in focus previously delayed critical aid.

On the ground, Ukraine and Russia completed their fourth prisoner exchange this week, part of a broader agreement to repatriate 1,000 wounded captives and return soldiers’ remains. Images showed visibly emotional reunions and recovering troops wrapped in national flags.

Russia also returned 1,200 unidentified bodies it claimed were Ukrainian citizens, though Kyiv did not confirm if any Russian remains were returned in kind.

Despite these humanitarian exchanges, Russia has refused to end its military campaign, maintaining demands that Ukraine cede territory and abandon Western support. The war, now in its third year, has devastated eastern Ukraine and displaced millions.

Meanwhile, Russia stepped up its offensive in the Sumy region, aiming to create a buffer zone to shield its own border. Zelensky said Ukrainian forces had halted the advance and reclaimed at least one village, denying Russian claims of territorial gains elsewhere.