Trump and Putin discuss Ukraine peace proposal in phone call

Washington officials said a high‑level telephone conversation took place on Tuesday after a team of U.S. special envoys completed visits to both Moscow and Kyiv to explore a diplomatic proposal aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine. The call, which involved senior members of the State Department and the National Security Council, was described as a “follow‑up” to the envoys’ meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where both sides were urged to consider a framework that could lead to a cease‑fire and a negotiated settlement.

The envoys, led by Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and senior adviser for European affairs, spent three days in the region conducting shuttle diplomacy, reviewing confidence‑building measures and assessing the feasibility of a phased withdrawal of Russian forces in exchange for security guarantees for Ukraine. Both governments signaled a willingness to keep channels open, though they emphasized that any agreement would require verification mechanisms and a clear timeline. The subsequent phone call was intended to gauge immediate reactions, clarify outstanding issues, and set a timetable for the next round of talks, signaling a continued U.S. push to facilitate a diplomatic resolution to the war.