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Kremlin Neither Confirms Nor Denies Trump-Putin Phone Call

FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks on the phone in St. Petersburg, Russia, Dec. 26, 2024. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)
FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks on the phone in St. Petersburg, Russia, Dec. 26, 2024. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)
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Kremlin Neither Confirms Nor Denies Trump-Putin Phone Call

FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks on the phone in St. Petersburg, Russia, Dec. 26, 2024. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)
FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks on the phone in St. Petersburg, Russia, Dec. 26, 2024. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

The Kremlin said on Monday it could neither confirm nor deny whether Russian President Vladimir Putin had spoken to US President Donald Trump by phone.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump indicated that the two men had been in contact. That would mark the first officially acknowledged conversation between Putin and a US president since early 2022.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he was unable to say more about the subject, noting that a day earlier he had said he was unable to confirm or deny that Putin and Trump had been in touch.

"I made a statement to that effect yesterday," Peskov told reporters on a conference call when asked if Putin and Trump had spoken by phone. "And there is nothing else I can say. I can neither confirm nor deny it."

The US President has repeatedly said he wants to end the Ukraine war and that he will meet with Putin to discuss it, though the date or venue for such a meeting has not been announced.

Reuters reported in November that Putin is open to discussing a Ukraine peace deal with Trump but rules out making any major territorial concessions and insists that Kyiv abandon ambitions to join NATO.

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Ukraine’s Zelenskiy Says There Is Now a Good Chance to End War

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to Ukrainian Muslim service members before sharing an iftar with them, a meal to break their fast at sunset, during the holy month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Kyiv, Ukraine March 13, 2025. (Reuters)
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to Ukrainian Muslim service members before sharing an iftar with them, a meal to break their fast at sunset, during the holy month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Kyiv, Ukraine March 13, 2025. (Reuters)
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Ukraine’s Zelenskiy Says There Is Now a Good Chance to End War

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to Ukrainian Muslim service members before sharing an iftar with them, a meal to break their fast at sunset, during the holy month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Kyiv, Ukraine March 13, 2025. (Reuters)
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to Ukrainian Muslim service members before sharing an iftar with them, a meal to break their fast at sunset, during the holy month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Kyiv, Ukraine March 13, 2025. (Reuters)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that he saw a good chance to end the war with Russia after Ukraine accepted a US proposal for a 30-day interim ceasefire and Moscow said it would only agree if certain conditions were met.

"Right now, we have a good chance to end this war quickly and secure peace. We have solid security understandings with our European partners," Zelenskiy said on X.

"We are now close to the first step in ending any war – silence," he said, referring to a truce.

Speaking to reporters, Zelenskiy urged the US and other allies to apply pressure on Moscow, reiterating his belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin will delay reaching a ceasefire as long as possible.

"If there is a strong response from the United States, they will not let them play around. And if there are steps that Russia is not afraid of, they will delay the process," Zelenskiy told media.

He said that the ceasefire along a more than 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) frontline could be controlled with US help via satellites and intelligence. Washington resumed intelligence sharing and military aid after US and Ukrainian officials met in Saudi Arabia this week and Ukraine accepted the ceasefire.

Zelenskiy also said that officials at that meeting discussed the issue of territory, but a difficult dialog would be required to resolve it.

"The issue of territories is the most difficult after the ceasefire," Zelenskiy said at a media briefing.

With the war is in its fourth year, Russian forces control nearly a fifth of Ukrainian territory and they have steadily advanced in the eastern Donetsk region in recent months.

"The ceasefire unblocks the way for the sides to end the war. And the territories ... will be the point that makes it possible to end the war after this issue is resolved," the Ukrainian president said.

Moscow has demanded that Kyiv permanently cede territory claimed by Russia including Crimea and four other regions, a position Ukraine has rejected.

Zelenskiy said he was discussing with Kyiv's allies future security guarantees and also economic support, adding that 100% air defense cover would be required as deterrence in a peace deal.