Putin tells Trump: Russia won’t 'give up' on Ukraine goals, will still pursue talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin has told US President Donald Trump that Moscow will not abandon its core objectives in Ukraine, even as it continues to participate in negotiations aimed at ending the war. The conversation between the two leaders took place over the phone on Thursday and lasted nearly an hour, according to the Kremlin.

"Our president said that Russia will achieve the aims it set, that is to say the root causes that led to the current state of affairs," Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters. "Russia will not give up on these aims."

"He also spoke of the readiness of the Russian side to continue the negotiation process," Ushakov added, saying the call lasted almost an hour.

Putin stressed in his call with Trump that the Iran conflicts and others in the Middle East should be solved diplomatically.

"From the Russian side, the importance of settling all disputed issues, disagreements and conflictual situations be solved exclusively by politico-diplomatic means was stressed," Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters after the call.

A decision by Washington to halt some shipments of critical weapons to Ukraine prompted warnings by Kyiv on Wednesday that the move would weaken its ability to defend against intensifying airstrikes and battlefield advances.

Ukraine said it had called in the acting US envoy to Kyiv to underline the importance of military aid from Washington continuing, and cautioned that any cut-off would embolden Russia in its war in Ukraine.

Russian strikes have intensified in the absence of progress on resolving the conflict, and the US moves have severely hampered Kyiv, which has relied on Western military support since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.