Published: 10:34, June 15, 2025
Putin, Trump discuss Middle East situation over phone
By Xinhua

Vehicles jam a highway as a fire blazes nearby in the oil depots of Shahran, northwest of Teheran, on June 15, 2025.  Israel and Iran exchanged fire on June 14, a day after Israel unleashed an unprecedented aerial bombing campaign that Iran said hit its nuclear facilities, "martyred" top commanders and killed dozens of civilians.  (PHOTO / AFP)

MOSCOW / WANSHINGTON - Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump had discussed the situation in the Middle East in a phone conversation, the Kremlin said Saturday.

"The conversation lasted for 50 minutes, it was substantive, sincere and very useful," Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said. "Naturally, it was focused on the dangerous exacerbation of the situation in the Middle East."

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Putin denounced the Israeli military operation against Iran and expressed grave concern over the possible escalation of the conflict, which would have unpredictable consequences for the entire Middle East region, he said in a statement.

"Putin emphasized the importance of preventing the conflict from escalating and the readiness of the Russian side to engage in possible mediation efforts," he said.

Missiles fired from Iran are pictured in the night sky over Jerusalem on June 14, 2025. (PHOTO / AFP)

Trump also views the situation as very alarming, he said, adding that the Russian and US presidents do not rule out a return to the negotiating track on Iran's nuclear program.

Trump noted that the team of US negotiators is ready to resume work with Iranian representatives, according to Ushakov.

Putin also informed Trump about the execution of the agreements reached by the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul on June 2 and expressed readiness to continue talks with the Ukrainian side after June 22, he said.

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Trump took note of this information and reiterated his interest in bringing the Russian-Ukrainian conflict to a speedy conclusion, he added.

In Washington, Trump said he had a phone call with Putin on Saturday over the tensions in the Middle East and Russia-Ukraine peace talks, and both of them agreed that "this war in Israel-Iran should end."

"He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, adding that Putin knows Iran "very well."

Trump said he also explained to the Russian president that the Russia-Ukraine conflict "should also end" during the one-hour call.

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"We talked at length. Much less time was spent talking about Russia/Ukraine, but that will be for next week," said Trump. "He (Putin) is doing the planned prisoner swaps -- large numbers of prisoners are being exchanged, immediately, from both sides."

Saturday was Trump's 79th birthday. Trump said that Putin wished him a happy birthday during the phone call.