Overview
- Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said President Trump initiated the first Trump–Putin call since December, which lasted about an hour and focused on the Iran crisis and potential paths to end the war in Ukraine.
- Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev called the discussion constructive, and Trump later said he told Putin that help would be more useful in ending the war in Ukraine than in the Middle East.
- President Volodymyr Zelensky said talks planned for this week in Turkey were delayed at the request of the United States, and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said the next round will likely take place next week.
- Witkoff said Russia denied providing Iran with intelligence on U.S. military assets during the call, following earlier media reports alleging such assistance.
- The Iran fighting has driven Brent crude near $120 a barrel and prompted temporary U.S. easing for Indian purchases of Russian oil, with Washington considering further measures to stabilize prices, according to officials and reports.