Moscow, October 10, 2026 – The Europe Today: Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held a substantive and friendly telephone conversation lasting approximately 90 minutes, during which they discussed a range of international issues, including the Ukraine conflict, bilateral relations, energy cooperation and the situation surrounding Iran, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said on Saturday.
According to Ushakov, preparations for the conversation began on October 7 following a telephone discussion between him and US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff. The call between the two presidents eventually took place late on October 9, after Putin returned from a visit to Turkmenistan.
Ushakov said Trump congratulated Putin on his birthday and conveyed greetings from US First Lady Melania Trump. He added that both leaders expressed satisfaction with the communication channels maintained between Moscow and Washington through their respective administrations, intelligence services and other relevant agencies.
Regarding the Ukraine conflict, Ushakov said Putin reiterated Russia’s position on the objectives of its military operation and reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to pursue a political and diplomatic settlement aimed at achieving lasting and sustainable peace.
The Russian presidential aide said the two leaders also discussed the possibility of resuming trilateral negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States. However, he noted that recent Ukrainian attacks during Russia’s parliamentary elections had affected the prospects for an immediate resumption of talks.
According to Ushakov, Moscow would assess when negotiations could resume. He added that Putin briefed Trump on Russia’s response to Ukrainian attacks and asserted that Russian forces maintained the initiative along the front line. These assessments were presented by the Russian side.
The conversation also covered potential economic initiatives, including possible supplies of Russian petroleum products to the United States and international markets. The discussion followed public statements regarding prospective Russian diesel supplies.
On Iran, Ushakov said Putin emphasised that diplomatic avenues remained available and that an agreement with Tehran should be pursued through negotiations. He added that Moscow’s proposal to transfer Iran’s enriched uranium to Russia remained on the table.
The two presidents did not discuss specific dates for their next in-person meeting, Ushakov said. However, both leaders are expected to attend the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in China, which could provide an opportunity for a face-to-face meeting.
The conversation underscored continued communication between Moscow and Washington on major security, diplomatic and economic issues amid ongoing efforts to address the Ukraine conflict and other international challenges.
