What happened in the Trump-Putin 90-minute call that raised eyebrows in Washington

Putin backs extending Iran ceasefire as both sides discuss next steps.

Washington: US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation on Wednesday (April 29) that lasted for more than 90 minutes, with both leaders discussing Iran’s nuclear programme and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Speaking after the call, the US president said the conversation covered multiple issues, including the military confrontation in Ukraine and tensions around Iran. “We had a good talk, I have known him a long time. Talked about Ukraine, Iran with Putin. I suggested bit of a ceasefire in Ukraine,” he said, according to Reuters.

Ukraine ceasefire discussed

Trump later spoke to reporters in the Oval Office after meeting astronauts from the Artemis II mission. During that interaction, he said he believed Putin could consider announcing a ceasefire in Ukraine. “And I think he might do that,” he said, while also asking the journalists if any such announcement had been made.

He added that he had known Putin for years and felt the Russian leader had earlier been ready to reach an agreement. “I have known him a long time. I think he was ready to make a deal a while ago. I think some people made it difficult for him to make a deal,” he said.

Iran nuclear issue also came up in the discussion

Details from Moscow also pointed to Iran being an important part of the discussion. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov described the exchange as “friendly, frank and businesslike” and said both leaders spoke about the situation involving Tehran.

According to Bloomberg, Putin told Trump that Russia supports Washington’s decision to extend the ceasefire in Iran that could allow more time for negotiations around its nuclear programme.

Trump confirmed that Putin had shown willingness to help on the issue. “Putin would like to be of help,” he said, referring to the ongoing concerns around Iran’s enriched uranium, which has stalled talks between Washington and Tehran.

At the same time, Trump said that his priority lay elsewhere. “I said I’d much rather have you be involved with ending the war with Ukraine,” he said, as reported by CNN.

Russia’s possible role

While Trump did not rule out the idea of Iran sending its enriched uranium to Russia, he did not go into details on how that might work. His statements suggested that while Iran is a concern, the Ukraine war is a more immediate priority for his administration.

The two leaders spoke to at a time when tensions around Iran’s nuclear programme have led to a standoff in negotiations. Trump had earlier told Axios that he would continue a naval blockade on Iran until it agrees to address its nuclear programme. “The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing,” he had said.

Where things stand now

The call indicates ongoing communication between Washington and Moscow on two of the most pressing issues right now. While no formal announcements followed the conversation, both sides said that talks could continue.

Putin’s backing for extending the Iran ceasefire adds space for further negotiations, while Trump’s statements on Ukraine point to a possible diplomatic push in the coming weeks.