Trump Tells Putin US Ready to Help End Ukraine War During 90-Minute Phone Conversation

US President Donald Trump has offered American assistance in finding a political solution to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war during a 90-minute telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the Kremlin.

The call, which took place on Saturday as Putin extended Independence Day greetings to Trump, also included discussions on the upcoming NATO summit scheduled to be held in Ankara, Turkey, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said while briefing reporters on Sunday.

According to Ushakov, Trump reiterated his willingness to work towards bringing an end to the conflict in Ukraine and expressed readiness to support efforts aimed at achieving a negotiated settlement.

"The American president once again confirmed his readiness to work towards a rapid end to the fighting and find solutions to overcome the crisis," Ushakov said, describing the conversation as "business-like and quite constructive."

He added that Russia continued to favour what it called a "political-diplomatic resolution" of the conflict, provided any settlement takes into account Moscow's core strategic interests.

The latest conversation comes amid renewed diplomatic activity surrounding the Ukraine conflict and ahead of the NATO summit, where the war is expected to remain one of the alliance's principal agenda items.

Ushakov said the two leaders also exchanged views regarding Trump's expected participation in the summit in Ankara next week, though no additional details of those discussions were disclosed.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that he had also spoken with Trump, although the Ukrainian presidency did not immediately provide details of their conversation.

The Kremlin briefing also included fresh accusations against Ukraine and its European partners. Ushakov alleged that Kyiv and its Western allies were seeking to prolong and escalate the conflict through continued military operations.

He specifically referred to Ukraine's long-range drone strikes targeting Russian oil infrastructure, which Moscow claims have disrupted fuel supplies in several regions.

According to Ushakov, Putin used the conversation to present what he described as the "real situation" on the battlefield, asserting that Russian forces were continuing to make territorial gains in eastern Ukraine.

Russian military commanders had informed Putin on Friday that Russian troops had captured the strategically significant city of Kostiantynivka in Ukraine's Donetsk region.

However, Ukraine has rejected that claim. On Saturday, both President Zelenskyy and Ukraine's General Staff stated that Ukrainian forces remained in control of the city and continued to defend their positions.

The differing battlefield narratives underscore the continuing information war accompanying the military conflict, with both Moscow and Kyiv issuing conflicting accounts of developments on the ground.

Russia has consistently maintained that any future peace agreement must recognise its control over the Donbas region, including territories currently occupied by Russian forces. Ukraine has firmly rejected those demands, insisting that its internationally recognised borders remain non-negotiable.

Last month, Zelenskyy publicly invited Putin to hold direct face-to-face talks in an effort to explore possible avenues for ending the conflict. The Kremlin, however, declined the proposal, indicating that such a meeting was not under consideration.

Trump has repeatedly stated that he wants to see the war brought to an end through negotiations and has emphasised the need for renewed diplomatic engagement between the two sides.

The latest phone call signals continued high-level contacts between Washington and Moscow even as fighting persists on the battlefield. Whether Trump's latest outreach results in renewed peace efforts remains uncertain, with both Russia and Ukraine continuing to maintain sharply different positions on the conditions required for a negotiated settlement.

In a case that underscores the perilous position of civilians caught in geopolitical conflicts, the fate of Sahil Mahmad Husen Majothi, a 22-year-old Indian student from Gujarat, remains uncertain. Detained by Ukrainian forces after being allegedly coerced into fighting for Russia, Majothi's safe return to India now hinges on urgent diplomatic efforts. With talks of new prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine emerging, his legal team is raising an alarm, warning that his repatriation to Russia could be disastrous .

The Delhi High Court has intervened, directing the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to take "urgent steps" to bring him home . However, a critical diplomatic gap on the ground and the complex machinery of war-time prisoner swaps have left his family in agonizing suspense.

A Student's Descent into the War Zone

Sahil Majothi's ordeal began in early 2024 when he traveled to St. Petersburg on a student visa to pursue a course in Russian language and culture at ITMO University . To support himself, he worked part-time as a courier. His family claims that in April 2024, he was falsely implicated in a narcotics case, arrested, and later sentenced to seven years in a Russian prison .

Facing a lengthy prison term, Majothi says he was given a choice: sign a contract with the Russian military or remain incarcerated. He chose the former, calling it the "biggest mistake" of his life . After minimal training, he was deployed to the front lines in Ukraine in October 2025, where he surrendered to Ukrainian forces within days . He has since been held in a Ukrainian military facility.

Courts Direct, But Diplomacy Lags

With representations to the government yielding little result, Majothi's mother, a cancer patient, approached the Delhi High Court. In a significant order, Justice Sachin Datta observed that the student appeared to have been compelled to join the Russian Army under duress and directed the Centre to "take all steps to bring him back" .

The court mandated:

   Appointing a liaison officer to coordinate with Ukrainian authorities.

   Securing consular access to Majothi.

   Filing a status report on the actions taken .

Despite this clear judicial directive, progress has been slow. Advocate Deepa Joseph, who met Majothi in Ukraine in early January, reported a lack of affirmative response from the MEA and highlighted slow coordination, stating the Indian ambassador was unavailable during her visit .

The Looming Threat of a Prisoner Exchange

The most immediate danger to Majothi's safety is the potential for him to be included in a prisoner-of-war exchange between Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine's Ombudsman office has confirmed that talks for a new swap are underway .

Historic Precedent: The two nations have conducted multiple large-scale swaps, including one of 303 prisoners each in May 2025 .

Grave Risk: If Majothi is transferred to Russia as part of such an exchange, his lawyer warns that Russian authorities could be "very hostile" towards him for surrendering .

This creates a race against time for Indian diplomacy to secure his direct repatriation to India before he is swept into the broader exchange mechanism.

A Warning to Others and a Test for Indian Diplomacy

From custody, Majothi has sent video messages pleading for help from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar . He also issued a public warning: "Those coming to Russia for higher studies or work should be very careful. There are many scammers here" .

His case is not isolated. The Indian government has previously called for the release of other nationals reportedly serving with the Russian military . This situation tests India's diplomatic resolve and its ability to protect citizens abroad in complex conflict zones where traditional consular access is constrained.

The coming weeks are critical. The Delhi High Court continues to monitor the government's actions, and the window to extract Majothi from the prisoner-exchange pipeline is narrowing. His safe return will require not just diplomatic requests, but decisive and creative statecraft to navigate a brutal war and bring one young student home.