Vladimir Putin told Russian media that he will speak with US President Donald Trump today.
US President Donald Trump confirmed these plans, stating that on Thursday he will hold talks with Vladimir Putin. “At 10:00 am I will hold talks with Russian President Putin. Thank you!” — Trump wrote on his social network, but did not disclose what issues will be discussed.
Reuters noted that this will be the sixth publicly known conversation since Trump's inauguration in January. They last spoke in mid-June.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian source told Reuters that on Friday Trump may hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. They are expected to discuss the sudden halt of some key types of American weapons supplies to Kyiv, with Zelensky expected to raise the issue of potential future arms sales, reported the Financial Times on Thursday.
At the same time, Zelensky commented on the conversation between Trump and Putin. “I don't know. I'm not sure they have many common ideas, common topics for conversation, because they are very different people,” said the President of Ukraine.
He also noted that Ukraine “from the very beginning” supported President Trump's proposal for an unconditional ceasefire and is still ready for negotiations “in any format.”
Earlier, sources told Reuters that the US had suspended some critical weapons supplies to Ukraine due to stockpile reductions. This decision led Ukraine on Wednesday to summon the acting US ambassador in Kyiv to emphasize the importance of continuing military assistance from Washington and to warn that this step would weaken Ukraine's ability to defend against increasing Russian airstrikes and battlefield advances.
The Pentagon's decision led, in particular, to a reduction in supplies of Patriot air defense missiles, on which Ukraine relies to destroy fast-flying ballistic missiles, Reuters reported on Wednesday.