Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, during a phone call, called for the continuation of direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv and discussed the idea of raising the level of these talks. Ushakov said, “Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump spoke in favor of continuing direct talks between the delegations of Russia and Ukraine. In this regard, the parties discussed the idea of considering the possibility of increasing the level of both countries’ delegations involved in the direct talks.”

Russia and Ukraine have held three rounds of direct talks since May 2025. The Russian delegation is led by presidential aide Volodymyr Medinsky, while the Ukrainian delegation is headed by Rustam Umerov, a former defense minister who was appointed Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council on July 18. (Agencies)