Kremlin says Putin and Trump understand and trust each other

Putin and Trump have a strong rapport and plan to restore U.S.-Russia ties step by step, the Kremlin says. After their call, Putin agreed to halt attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid but rejected a full ceasefire. Moscow hopes for more direct talks as both leaders push for normalization.

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump have a good rapport and are determined to restore badly damaged U.S.-Russia ties step-by-step.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was speaking after Putin and Trump spoke by phone on Tuesday and the Russian leader agreed to stop attacking Ukrainian energy facilities temporarily but declined to endorse a full 30-day ceasefire that Trump had hoped would be the first step towards a permanent peace deal.

"I can say with a high degree of confidence that presidents Putin and Trump understand each other well, trust each other and intend to work towards the normalisation of Russian-American relations step-by-step", Peskov said.

He said there had long been a direct phone line between the presidents of the two countries and a video-link when necessary, but that it had hardly been used during Joe Biden's administration. He said Putin hoped it could now be used more often.

"Of course, Russia and the United States are very large countries and too much has been spoiled during the previous U.S. administrations," said Peskov.

"So, of course, it will take time and effort, supported by the will of the two presidents, to restore these relations. But for now this strong will of the two presidents is probably the best guarantee that everyone will follow this path."

Peskov said that the exact dates and format for the next round of U.S.-Russia contacts would be agreed today and tomorrow.

Read next

02:15

freezing billions

Trump administration says it is freezing billions in grant funding to Harvard

01:58

top military leadership

U.S. defense secretary Pete Hegseth orders 20% cut in top military leadership as part of Trump-era restructuring

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the military to cut 20% of its four-star generals and flag officers, part of a broader Trump administration effort to streamline defense leadership and reduce what it calls “unnecessary bureaucratic layers.”

00:17

arrives in DC

Canadian PM Carney arrives in DC for upcoming talks with Trump

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has arrived in Washington ahead of a closely watched meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, as tensions rise following Trump's revived remarks suggesting Canada could become the 51st U.S. state.

23:18

impact

The far-reaching impact of Trump's proposed Hollywood tariffs

President Donald Trump's recent proposal to impose a 100% tariff on foreign-made films has sent shockwaves through the global entertainment industry.

21:00

South Caucasus

Baku hosts international conference on Azerbaijan’s pharmaceutical industry

Azerbaijan’s growing pharmaceutical sector was in the spotlight at the international conference “The Pharmaceutical Industry of Azerbaijan: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow,” held in Baku and organized by the Health Ministry and the Embassy of Hungary.