Putin holds phone call with Trump, proposes 'Victory Day' truce in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov and the U.S. leader separately confirmed on April 29.

According to Ushakov, the Russian leader voiced readiness to declare a temporary truce in Ukraine for the Victory Day celebrations, which Russia holds on May 9. Trump backed the initiative, the Russian official claimed.

The 1.5-hour-long conversation reportedly focused on the Russia-Ukraine war, peace efforts, and the ongoing ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.

While rejecting a full unconditional ceasefire proposed by Kyiv, Putin has repeatedly proposed temporary and limited truces during Moscow's all-out war against Ukraine.

Ukraine says Russia has repeatedly violated earlier "truces," recording over 400 violations during the alleged ceasefire declared on Orthodox Easter.

No call between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled at the moment, but that can change "the next minute," a source close to the Presidential Office said.

Trump told Putin that a deal to resolve the Ukraine-Russia war was imminent, according to Ushakov.

Speaking from the White House alongside astronauts from the Artemis II mission, Trump confirmed his earlier phone call with Putin.

"I talked about a few different subjects, mostly about Ukraine, and we had a very good conversation. I think we're going to come up with a solution relatively quickly. I hope. I think he'd like to see a solution, I can tell you, and that's good," Trump said.

The U.S. leader said Putin offered to help with Iran, with Trump maintaining he would rather see Russia be involved with ending its war against Ukraine.

"I suggested a little bit of a ceasefire, and I think he might do that. He might announce something having to do with that," Trump said. "I asked him about (a truce), even if it's a little ceasefire, there's so many people being killed. It's so ridiculous."

"I think (Putin) was ready to make a deal a while ago. I think some people made it difficult for him to make a deal," Trump said without explaining who had made the peace process difficult.

Kyiv has refused Russian ultimatums, including the demand that Ukraine withdraw from the eastern Donbas region. Meanwhile, Russia has refused to agree to an unconditional ceasefire along the current frontline positions and continues to strike Ukrainian cities.

Speaking about Washington's European NATO allies, the U.S. leader noted the partners are involved with Ukraine, but "didn't do things the way we would like to see" and didn't step up to help with U.S. strikes on Iran.

U.S. peace efforts have largely stalled as Moscow continues to press its territorial demands, which Kyiv has rejected, while Trump's attention has shifted to the Middle East.

The Russian president, in turn, claimed Russian forces continue to advance in Ukraine and can achieve victory, even though Moscow "prefers to do this through negotiations," Ushakov said.