Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated his American counterpart Donald Trump on his 80th birthday by phone, the Kremlin reported. As Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov emphasized, Trump was touched by the congratulations, and the leaders also discussed bilateral relations and the international situation for about an hour.
The last time before this, the presidents of the United States and Russia held telephone conversations on April 29. After that conversation, a three-day truce in the Ukrainian conflict was established in May during the Victory Day celebrations.
“The conversation was friendly and frank, and lasted, my friends, about an hour. If you want precise timing, then exactly 55 minutes,” Ushakov said (according to TASS recording).
Ushakov added that Putin congratulated Trump “informally” and emphasized his “fighting qualities.” Trump, in turn, joked that the number 80 does not make him very happy, Putin’s aide added.
“Donald Trump was touched by what was said and thanked him, noting that Vladimir Putin was the first of all foreign leaders to call him at the White House,” Ushakov noted.
As noted in the Kremlin, Trump also told Putin about the possibility of unveiling on Sunday an agreement with Iran, with which the United States is in conflict. The day before, the head of the White House announced the deal on social networks.
Ushakov emphasized that Putin expressed satisfaction that the conflict between the United States and Iran, which could “set the entire region on fire,” was being stopped. Trump, in turn, also again called for a cessation of hostilities in the Ukrainian conflict, the Kremlin said.
“He stated that he is ready to influence both European partners and Kyiv, including during the upcoming contacts at the G7 summit,” Ushakov noted, referring to the G7 summit in Switzerland on June 15-17.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, invited to this summit, also congratulated Trump on his birthday by phone. On social networks, he noted that he wished his American colleague success in resolving the Ukrainian conflict, thanked him for his support and agreed to meet with him at the summit in Switzerland.
