Trump speaks to Putin, Zelensky ahead of NATO summit
· RTE.ieUS President Donald Trump spoke with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the conflict in Ukraine ahead of a NATO summit in Ankara, the Kremlin and Mr Zelensky have said.
The calls were both to mark the 250th birthday of the United States, both sides said.
"The presidents naturally addressed the issue of a settlement in Ukraine, taking into account, in particular, Donald Trump's upcoming participation in the NATO summit in Turkey on 7 and 8 July," said Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin's foreign policy aide, according to the RIA Novosti news agency.
"The American president once again confirmed his readiness to work towards a rapid end to the fighting and find solutions to overcome the crisis," he added.
He said the two leaders also discussed issues including Iran and the Middle East during the 85-minute call.
Mr Zelensky said he and Mr Trump had also discussed the more than four years of war in his country, calling it a "very good phone call".
"President Trump and I discussed the current situation on the front line as well as our diplomatic efforts," he wrote on social media platform X.
"There is a real prospect to put an end to this war, and America's resolve is decisive. We have agreed to continue these discussions during the NATO Summit in Ankara," he added.
Heads of state and delegations from 32 countries, including Mr Trump, are expected to arrive in Ankara starting Tuesday for the summit.
Mr Ushakov accused Kyiv and its European allies of "counting on extending and even escalating the conflict, and on terrorism against civilians".
He was referring to Ukraine's long-range strikes on Russian targets, mainly linked to the oil industry.
He quoted Mr Trump as saying that Washington's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would keep trying to broker a settlement and were prepared to make another visit to Moscow.
Mr Ushakov said Mr Putin "depicted the real situation on the battlefield where the Russian armed forces are confidently advancing, liberating one locality after another".
Russian commanders told Mr Putin on Friday that Moscow's troops had captured the strategically important city of Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine.
Mr Zelensky and Ukraine's General Staff rejected that claim, saying Kyiv's forces still controlled the city.
Kostyantynivka is one of the final obstacles on the route to the major Ukrainian-held cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk; capturing them is the Kremlin's ultimate goal in the Donbas.
Ukrainian army spokesperson Andriy Kovalyov told AFP that "Ukrainian defenders continue to hold their positions along the designated defensive lines".
"The situation remains difficult," he said.
He admitted that small groups of Russian troops have been infiltrating the town but insisted that fighting was ongoing.
Moscow's defence ministry, however, said: "Russian troops are in all parts of the town - from the southern to northern outskirts".
Mr Zelensky called the claim "just another Russian lie".
"If Kostyantynivka were under Russian control, then perhaps Putin would have no problem meeting me there to find a diplomatic way to finally end this war," the Ukrainian leader said on social media.
Mr Putin has repeatedly turned down talks with Mr Zelensky to end more than four years of war, saying Moscow intends to capture the rest of eastern Ukraine by force.
The remarks came as Russia said Ukrainian drones hit an oil terminal in Saint Petersburg, Mr Putin's hometown, as well as striking a port near Finland and falling on the historical Peterhof complex without causing damage.
Russia vowed to respond, saying it downed almost 500 Ukrainian drones and 10 of Kyiv's Flamingo missiles.
The Ukrainian attack came after a Russian strike on Kyiv this week killed 30 people amid other strikes.
Mr Zelensky also claimed Ukraine struck the Kronstadt naval base in Saint Petersburg.
Ukraine has been increasing strikes on Russian territory - hitting as far as the Urals far away from the front line - in recent months, in retaliation for Russia's dragging offensive.
Diplomatically, negotiations are at an impasse, with Moscow demanding the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the entire Donetsk region - a demand Kyiv rejects.