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Donald Trump revealed he had a phone conversation with Vladimir Putin, during which the Russian leader said he wanted to help with the situation in the Middle East. Trump countered that ending the Ukraine war would be a more effective form of assistance.
On 9 Mar 2026 GMT+7, Donald Trump, President of the United States, disclosed during a press conference in Doral, Florida, that he had spoken by phone with Vladimir Putin, President of Russia. He described the conversation as excellent, with the Russian leader expressing a desire to "offer assistance" regarding the situation in the Middle East.
This marked the first direct call between the two leaders since the war with Iran began on 28 Feb. Trump said they discussed the escalating war in the Middle East, and Putin "wanted to help."
"I told him, ‘You could help more by bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to an end,’" Trump said, emphasizing, "That would be a much more useful form of help." Trump also described the Ukraine conflict as a never-ending fight but considered their dialogue on the subject "positive."
Meanwhile, Yuri Ushakov, an advisor to the Kremlin government, confirmed that Putin and Trump spoke by phone for about one hour. The United States initiated the call to discuss the latest international situation.
Ushakov stated the conversation focused heavily on the conflict in Iran and the tripartite negotiations involving Moscow, Washington, and Kyiv aimed at ending the Ukraine conflict. He described the leaders' discussion as "serious, open, and constructive," adding that both expressed readiness to maintain regular communication.
The U.S. president affirmed Washington’s interest in seeing the fighting between Moscow and Kyiv end and its desire to reach a long-term agreement resolving the Ukraine conflict. Putin expressed gratitude to Trump for his administration’s ongoing efforts to act as a mediator.
Additionally, Putin shared his perspectives on the ongoing conflict in Iran and recounted his recent discussions with leaders of the Gulf countries, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, during the past week.
Trump also shared his views on the situation. Ushakov summarized that both leaders engaged in "deep and substantive" discussions on this topic.
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