U.S. President Donald Trump (Republican) walks with Russian President Vladimir Putin upon arrival at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025.
Andrew Harnik | Getty Images News | Getty Images
US President Donald Trump told Russian President Vladimir Putin that a quick resolution to the war in Ukraine could pave the way for a full restoration of trade and economic ties between the two countries, according to a Kremlin reading of the call between the two leaders.
Trump and Putin are said to have exchanged views on the outcome of recent visits to Moscow and Kiev by US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who have sought to revive stalled diplomatic talks to end the conflict.
Russia has resumed airstrikes on major Ukrainian cities after a pause over the weekend for a visit by U.S. peace negotiators. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that the international community had “reacted too little” to the recent deadly attacks.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Trump and Putin spoke for just an hour on Tuesday, calling the conversation “constructive and very frank,” according to Russia’s TASS news agency.
Ushakov said Trump wanted the Ukraine war to end “as soon as possible,” adding that Putin had presented Trump with an “objective and thorough” analysis of what Russia described as a special military operation.
Ushakov said that if Trump quickly halts Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, “impressive and far-reaching prospects for a full restoration of U.S.-Russian relations will soon open up.”
Mr. Ushakov added that President Putin also shared his views on what the US side can do to quickly stop military operations in Ukraine and denied speculation about Russian threats to European countries.
A White House press secretary was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC on Wednesday morning.
The meeting is the fifth meeting between Putin and Trump this year, and the 15th meeting between the two leaders since he took office in early 2025, according to TASS’ calculations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly sounded the alarm about the coming winter season and called for more help from allies to provide urgently needed interceptors.
The Russian military is increasing the number of missile attacks on Ukrainian cities as Kiev faces a shortage of air defense equipment.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has pursued long-range drone strikes against Russian oil refineries and logistics hubs to shore up Moscow’s war costs and test President Putin’s resolve after more than four-and-a-half years of conflict.
