Trump tells Putin in phone call that ending Ukraine conflict is vital and he can help, Kremlin adviser says

US President Donald Trump has injected himself directly into the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, telling Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday that ending the protracted conflict is 'vital' and that he stands ready to assist in de-escalation. The Kremlin's readout of the hour-long call, which also saw Trump speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, signals a renewed, high-stakes American push for a peace settlement ahead of this week's G7 summit in France. This sudden, concerted diplomatic offensive comes amidst a brutal four-year war, which has recently seen intensified Ukrainian drone strikes deep into Russian territory and a battlefield described by UN officials as deadlier than ever. Trump reportedly emphasized the complicating factor of strikes on Russian civilian targets, while Putin, congratulating Trump on his 80th birthday, maintained that Ukrainian attacks would not alter the battlefield situation. The US President's intervention follows an unsuccessful attempt to broker peace at an Alaska summit in August 2025, and with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner slated for another visit to Russia, the diplomatic stakes are exceptionally high. Both Trump and Zelenskyy have confirmed they will discuss further steps at the upcoming G7 summit in Evian, France, where Ukraine's security and future will be a central theme. Observers will be scrutinizing the White House for its own detailed readout of the calls, which thus far has been notably absent, and for concrete proposals emerging from the G7 that could move beyond stalled peace negotiations. The challenge remains immense, as Russia has previously indicated unwillingness to meet with Zelenskyy directly unless he comes to Moscow, and the underlying territorial disputes persist.