Putin tells Trump that ‘Russia will achieve aims it set’ in Ukraine; says Iran conflict should be solved diplomatically

Russian President Vladimir Putin has informed US President Donald Trump that Moscow remains determined to achieve its objectives in Ukraine, while maintaining a commitment to negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

“Our president said that Russia will achieve the aims it set, that is to say the root causes that led to the current state of affairs,” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters following the leaders’ phone call. “Russia will not give up on these aims.”

"From the Russian side, the importance of settling all disputed issues, disagreements and conflictual situations be solved exclusively by politico-diplomatic means was stressed," Ushakov also said.

"He also spoke of the readiness of the Russian side to continue the negotiation process," Ushakov added, saying the call lasted almost an hour.

Ushakov said that Putin stressed the need to resolve the Iran issue solely through diplomatic means.

During their last call in June, Trump and Putin also talked about the Israel-Iran conflict. As an ally of Iran, Russia has proposed serving as a mediator in the Middle East, where tensions over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions persist despite Trump securing a truce with Israel.

Trump Administration pauses weapons deliveries to Ukraine

The Trump administration has halted transfers of key artillery and air defense systems to Ukraine, even as Russia intensifies its attacks.

Shipments of 155mm artillery rounds and Patriot air-defense batteries will be reportedly paused while the Pentagon reviews US munitions stockpiles, citing concerns that supplies had fallen to critically low levels. The decision comes just days after Russia unleashed a record barrage of missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian cities in the conflict’s fourth year.

Trump’s pledge to end war stalls

President Trump entered his second term vowing to broker a swift end to the war, but efforts to bring Moscow and Kyiv to the negotiating table have failed so far. Putin has so far refused calls to stop military operations or hold direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

While negotiations by lower level officials have yielded limited progress, including prisoner swaps, no significant breakthroughs have emerged to end the fighting.

Trump's frustration

Trump has become increasingly impatient over the lack of progress, at times suggesting he may abandon mediation attempts if neither side shows willingness to compromise.

Kremlin rejects US accusations of stalling Ukraine peace talks

The Kremlin on Tuesday (July 1) denied allegations that Moscow is deliberately delaying peace negotiations with Ukraine, as Russian forces claimed full control over Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk region.

Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, criticised Moscow for prolonging talks while intensifying attacks.

“Russia cannot continue to stall for time while it bombs civilian targets in Ukraine,” Kellogg told reporters Monday (June 30).

In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the accusations and insisted Russia remained committed to diplomacy.

“No one is delaying anything here,” Peskov said in a briefing in Moscow. “We are naturally in favor of achieving the goals that we are trying to achieve through the special military operation via political and diplomatic means. Therefore, we are not interested in drawing out anything.”

He added that the date of the next round of peace talks still had to be agreed.

Last Friday (June 27), Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was ready to resume negotiations, potentially in Istanbul.

Trump: “It’s a mess for him”

Speaking on June 25 at The Hague on the sidelines of the NATO summit, President Trump said Putin is seeking a way to exit from the conflict.

“He’d like to get out of this thing. It’s a mess for him,” Trump remarked, revealing that Putin recently called him offering help on Iran. “I said, ‘no, you can help me with Russia.’”

Trump also characterised Putin as “misguided” in launching the invasion. “I’m very surprised actually,” he added. “I thought we should have settled that easily.”

The war, now entering its fourth year, continues to grind on with no clear path to a comprehensive settlement.