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US President Donald Trump on Wednesday hinted at a possible ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict following a telephonic conversation with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, while maintaining a hard line on Iran''s nuclear ambitions.
The President''s remarks paint a picture of a Russia eager to pivot toward a deal, provided the right conditions are met, and an American administration leveraging its military and diplomatic weight to reshape global security. President Trump indicated that the Russian leader may be preparing to pause hostilities. While the war in Ukraine remains the primary friction point, Trump noted a shift in the Kremlin''s posture. Trump stated that Putin "suggested a little bit of a ceasefire" and hinted that an official announcement from Moscow could be imminent. Trump expressed his belief that Putin "was ready to make a deal a while ago," but claimed that outside influences had previously "made it difficult" for the Russian President to come to the table. "I spoke to Vladimir Putin today... I talked about Ukraine, and I talked a little bit about, uh, Iran. I talked about a few different subjects, mostly about Ukraine, and we had a very good conversation. And I think we''re going to come up with a solution relatively quickly, I hope... I think he''d like to see a solution, I can tell you, and that''s good," Trump said. The conversation also touched on the Middle East, specifically the nuclear capabilities of Iran. In a surprising diplomatic turn, Putin reportedly offered to assist the U.S. regarding Iranian enrichment. When Putin reportedly offered assistance with other global tensions, Trump remained firm: "Before you help me, I want to end your war." "We talked more about the war in Ukraine, but he would like to be of help (in ending the Gulf War). I said, before you help me, I want to end your war... I think he was ready to make a deal a while ago. I think some people made it difficult for him to make a deal...," said Trump. Highlighting discussions around Iran, Trump added, "He told me he''d like to be involved with the (nuclear) enrichment (in Iran), if he can help us get it. I said I''d much rather have you be involved with ending the war in Ukraine. To me, that would be more important because we''ve got to have that." The President was blunt regarding the current state of Iran''s military infrastructure. Following recent operations, Trump claimed that Iran''s ability to manufacture and launch missiles has been severely crippled. He said, "We''re not going to let Iran have a nuclear weapon. And we''ve knocked out their navy, we''ve knocked out their air force, we''ve knocked out their anti-aircraft, everything apparatus, everything they have. Their radar, they have very little left. And they have some missiles, a small percentage. They have a small percentage of missile-making facilities; we knocked out about 80% of them. The rest could come very quickly if we don''t make a deal." "We''re not going to let Iran have a nuclear weapon. They know it, and just about everybody else does," Trump concluded, signalling that while a deal is preferable, the US is prepared to remove the remaining facilities if negotiations fail. Trump emphasised that Russia shares the US goal of a non-nuclear Iran, stating, "He doesn''t want to see them have a nuclear weapon, either." Notably, Iran''s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday expressed his gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin for Moscow''s "positions and support" during the recent conflict with the United States, describing Iran-Russia ties as a "strategic partnership. On Ukraine, the US President indicated a possible de-escalation step. "But I had a long talk with President Putin. I suggested a little bit of a ceasefire (in Ukraine), and I think he might do that. He might announce something having to do with that," he said. According to TASS, the call lasted about 90 minutes and was described by Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov as "frank and businesslike." The leaders discussed Russia''s readiness to declare a ceasefire during Victory Day celebrations, the Ukraine peace process, and tensions surrounding Iran and the Persian Gulf. The conversation marked the 12th interaction between Trump and Putin since Trump returned to the White House in early 2025, with both sides agreeing to continue dialogue at multiple levels to advance negotiations to find a resolution to the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict. (ANI)
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