The Kremlin neither confirmed nor denied reports of a Trump-Putin conversation
\n Washington
\nUS President Donald Trump has said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine, though he did not disclose when or how often they had spoken.
\nIn an interview published Saturday by the New York Post, Trump said Putin \u201cwants to see people stop dying.\u201d
\nThe White House has not commented on the report. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media he \u201ccan neither confirm nor deny\u201d the claim, adding that discussions between Washington and Moscow occur through different channels.
\nTrump has repeatedly stated that he could end the conflict \u201cwithin 24 hours\u201d but has not outlined how he would do so.
\nOn Friday, while travelling on Air Force One, he instructed his national security adviser, Mike Waltz, to speed up diplomatic efforts.
\n\u201cThey want to meet. Every day people are dying. Young handsome soldiers are being killed. Young men, like my sons. On both sides. All over the battlefield,\u201d Trump told the New York Post.
\nThe former president has suggested linking continued US aid to Ukraine with access to the country\u2019s rare earth minerals, though no formal proposal has been made public.
\nRussia currently controls nearly a fifth of Ukraine\u2019s territory and is advancing at its fastest pace since the early months of the invasion. The war, which began in February 2022, has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions.
\nPutin has said he is open to negotiations but insists Russia will not give up land it has seized.
\nA senior Russian lawmaker told state media that \u201cadvanced\u201d preparations were underway for a Trump-Putin meeting, possibly as early as this month. However, the Kremlin has downplayed speculation, saying no formal discussions have taken place.
\nTrump is expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky next week, but no official confirmation has been made.
\nWhile Trump has criticised the US role in funding Kyiv\u2019s war effort, his administration has not announced a shift in policy. Meanwhile, NATO allies remain wary of his stance, with European leaders warning that any reduction in US support could embolden Russia.
\nTrump has not ruled out speaking with Putin again, telling reporters, \u201cI will probably be talking to President Putin\u201d in the near future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Kremlin neither confirmed nor denied reports of a Trump-Putin conversation Washington US President Donald Trump has said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine, though he did not disclose when or how often they had spoken. In an interview published Saturday by the New York Post, Trump said […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":457332,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-460582","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n