Putin, Trump share July 4 call as Ukraine rages

Moscow says Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump spoke for nearly 90 minutes on July 4, with Trump again offering help to end the Ukraine war and Putin congratulating the U.S. on the 250th anniversary of independence. The call unfolded as NATO prepares to meet in T

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Donald Trump on July 4 for a nearly 90-minute conversation that Russia’s foreign ministry described as “businesslike and highly constructive.” The call came with Ukraine’s war entering another tense phase: Russian forces were pressing efforts to take more of eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region. while Ukraine has continued striking Russian energy infrastructure.

In the Kremlin’s account. Putin personally congratulated Trump “and the entire American people on this significant holiday. ” marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. declaration of independence. The ministry said the conversation—described as their fourth call together this year—featured Trump “reaffirm[ing] his readiness to facilitate the earliest possible cessation of hostilities” in the Ukrainian conflict.

The foreign ministry also said the Russian side emphasized its “preference for a political and diplomatic resolution. ” and claimed that “Kyiv and its European sponsors are banking on prolonging and even escalating the conflict.” Putin. the ministry added. laid out “the reality of the situation on the battlefield. ” saying Russian forces were advancing “confidently.”.

The call landed just ahead of a critical NATO summit in Turkey that the U.S. president plans to attend. It also arrived as the White House has prepared for a force-model shift inside NATO; the U.S. last month announced it would “rightsize its contributions to the NATO force model. ” citing a need for the alliance to not over rely on US forces.

Ukraine’s response did not portray the call as ceremonial. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had also spoken with Trump on Saturday and called it “a very good call.” Zelensky said, “There is a real prospect to put an end to this war, and America’s resolve is decisive.”

On the ground. the message from Moscow has long been that the conflict will only end after Russia has taken all of the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. This weekend. Russia claimed it had taken control of the town of Kostyantynivka in Donetsk. calling it an “important milestone.” Ukrainian military personnel told CNN that small groups of Russian soldiers had infiltrated the town. with counter-sabotage operations ongoing. and added that “Ukrainian defenders continue to hold their positions along designated lines.”.

In the town, one unit posted video of its soldiers there, calling the Russian claim “disinformation designed to create the illusion of success.” Zelensky, speaking Saturday, said the claim was “just another Russian lie, an attempt to generate some kind of a news story.”

Ukraine’s strategy has also moved beyond front-line claims. In recent weeks. Ukraine has stepped up missile and drone attacks targeting key Russian infrastructure. including oil refineries. ports. and military factories. On Saturday, Ukrainian drones struck an oil terminal in St. Petersburg that Zelensky said “generates revenue for ​Russia’s war.” Over the past month. Ukrainian military reporting says eight Russian oil refineries have been attacked. with more than 60 storage tanks destroyed or critically damaged.

Ukraine has also targeted fuel and power facilities in Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. Satellite imagery posted by the Institute for the Study of War shows far less electric light at night in Crimea now compared to a year ago.

The Kremlin’s calls with Trump have been framed by Russia as part of a broader push for a diplomatic track. even as its public battlefield language intensifies. The Institute for the Study of War has said that exaggerated claims about Russian battlefield performance are part of a narrative aimed at making a Russian victory in Ukraine seem inevitable and Ukrainian frontlines seem as though they are collapsing.

Putin Trump July 4 call Ukraine war NATO summit Donetsk Kostyantynivka Zelensky Russian energy infrastructure St. Petersburg oil terminal Crimea attacks