The Kremlin said Monday that Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump were both in favour of normalising US-Russia ties and discussed a potential new prisoner swap between the two countries during a two-hour phone call.
“Both expressed they were in favour for the further normalisation of ties,” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said, adding the pair discussed swapping nine prisoners each.
“Putin, Trump didn’t discuss timeline for Ukraine ceasefire”
Putin and Trump did not discuss a timeline for a ceasefire in Ukraine during their two-hour phone call on Monday, but Trump stressed his interest in reaching agreements quickly, the Kremlin said.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov also told reporters the two leaders talked about trading nine Russians for nine Americans in a prisoner swap as part of a discussion about improving bilateral relations.
“Putin welcomed US-Iran dialogue in call with Trump”
Putin welcomed progress in talks between the U.S. and Iran on Tehran’s nuclear program during a conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said, and offered Russia’s help.
Ushakov said Putin also welcomed the results of Trump’s visit to the Middle East last week.
Putin, Trump discuss potential new US-Russia prisoner swap
Putin and Trump discussed a new potential new prisoner swap between the two countries and were both in favour of normalising ties — massively soured by Moscow’s Ukraine offensive — during a two-hour call Monday.
The leaders spoke for the third time since Trump took office this year in a call mostly focused on resolving the three-year Ukraine conflict.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the pair had discussed “swapping nine people for nine people” — without giving any details on which prisoners.
Russia and the United States have held several prisoner exchanges in recent years, with the biggest East-West swap taking place last year.
Ushakov said Putin and Trump were in favour of improving Moscow-Washington ties.
“Both expressed they were in favour for the further normalisation of ties,” he said.
The United States imposed huge sanctions on Russia for its 2022 Ukraine offensive.