Overview
A Kremlin foreign policy aide told Russian media that a phone call between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday was "very substantive and friendly." The aide said the leaders spent an extended period on the line and that neither wanted to be the first to end the conversation.
Duration and tone
Interfax cited Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov as saying the call ran for an hour and a half. "Neither wanted to be the first to hang up," he said. "They hung up simultaneously, literally at the same time." The Kremlin characterized the tone of the exchange as cordial and detailed.
Agreements reached
During the call, the presidents agreed that Russia would supply diesel to U.S. and global markets with the aim of lowering fuel prices. That arrangement preceded a temporary easing of U.S. sanctions on Russian fuel, a development that Kyiv described as unexpected and that prompted strong criticism from Ukrainian leadership.
Reactions from Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy publicly condemned the diesel agreement, calling it a "weak decision" and labeling it "an investment in a war that must be ended." The comments reflected Kyiv's dismay at moves seen as softening restrictions on Russian energy amid ongoing conflict.
Focus on Ukraine and peace efforts
The Kremlin said most of the discussion centered on efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine. According to the Kremlin account, Putin downplayed the likelihood that three-way peace talks would resume in the near term. The West imposed sanctions, including restrictions on Russian energy imports, after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Negotiations underway elsewhere
Separately, negotiators from the United States, Ukraine and several European countries held talks in Miami on Friday aimed at crafting a unified peace proposal in the coming weeks that could be presented to Russia, according to a person familiar with those discussions. Kyiv continues to rely on U.S. support in negotiations to end the war. Efforts to halt the fighting have stalled in part over Russia's demand for four Ukrainian regions it does not fully control.
Report structure note: The above is based on statements attributed to Kremlin officials and reported reactions from Ukrainian leadership. Where the source of a specific account was identified, that attribution has been retained.