Trump’s 85-Minute Putin Call Opens Door to Ukraine Peace Talks Ahead of NATO Summit

US President Donald Trump held separate phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, scheduled for July 7-8. The call with Putin lasted 85 minutes, during which Trump reaffirmed his readiness to help end the fighting quickly and find peaceful solutions, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov [189744][189388]. Ushakov described the conversation as “businesslike” and “highly constructive,” adding that the two leaders discussed a possible settlement to the Ukraine conflict [189388].

Zelenskyy said his call with Trump was “very good” and revealed a “real prospect to put an end to this war,” noting that America’s resolve is decisive [189390]. The two leaders agreed to meet in person at the NATO summit in Ankara [189407]. The Kremlin said Trump’s envoys will continue mediation and are ready to visit Moscow [189407].

The calls come as Turkey pushes to restart peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told German opposition leader Friedrich Merz that Ankara is working to revive negotiations that have stalled for months [185028]. The NATO summit will focus on securing a fragile peace in Ukraine and managing tensions in the Middle East, pushing Indo-Pacific issues to the back burner [189704].

Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has made a direct economic appeal to Trump, arguing that Europe’s rearmament drive supports 195,000 American defense jobs [186043]. Rutte said the surge in European defense spending directly benefits US factories and workers, framing the military alliance as a jobs engine for the United States [186043].