On June 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held a nearly 50-minute phone call discussing the conflict situation between Israel and Iran, as well as efforts to resolve the Ukrainian issue.
The Kremlin's foreign adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said Putin condemned Israel's attacks on Iran and expressed deep concern about the risk of escalating tensions in the region. Russia has said it is ready to act as a mediator between the two sides.
Mr. Ushakov noted that "the dangerous escalation in the Middle East was the focus of the phone call". The two leaders also discussed the possibility of continuing negotiations related to Iran's nuclear program.
Mr. Trump affirmed that the US delegation is still ready for dialogue, although the 6th round of talks scheduled to be held in Oman has been canceled. Tehran said the US supported Israeli attacks on its territory, making negotiations impossible.
The Kremlin described the phone call as useful and meaningful, adding that Putin had congratulated Trump, who celebrated his 79th birthday on June 14. The White House confirmed the content of the discussion and said it would announce details in the near future.
This is the fourth time Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump have had a phone call since Mr. Trump began his second term as president. The exchange comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
On June 13, Israel launched the "lion Rising" campaign, launching a series of airstrikes targeting Iran, killing at least 78 people and injuring hundreds others. This is considered Israel's largest attack on Iran to date, and is expected to last for many days.
In response, Iran launched about 100 drones into Israeli territory, and as of June 14, continued to fire about 200 ballistic missiles at many targets, including Israeli air base and military center. Iran's counter-offensive operation is called the "Promise of Rescue".
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a video congratulating Mr. Trump on his birthday and thanking the US President for his support. He emphasized: Our enemy is also your enemy. Our victory will be your victory.
On Ukraine, Mr. Putin said Russia was ready to continue negotiations and had informed Mr. Trump about the progress of the agreements reached in Istanbul on June 2. The US president affirmed his desire to quickly end the conflict.
