Putin Downplayed Immediate Ukraine Talks Resumption in Phone Call With Trump

Russian President Vladimir Putin told US President Donald Trump on Friday that Kyiv had undermined the possibility of an immediate resumption of trilateral Ukraine peace talks after it had hit Moscow with drones during last month's election, the Kremlin said.



Trump has so far unsuccessfully tried to broker a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine, which started with Russia's invasion in February 2022.



US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that Russia's war in Ukraine is at a dangerous stalemate and the United States will keep working toward a settlement to end the conflict.



Putin had said that Moscow had been ready to resume negotiations with Kyiv after last month's Russian parliamentary elections, but Ukraine launched attacks on Moscow and hit polling stations, putting the peace process in jeopardy, according to him.