MOSCOW, July 4. /TASS/. Trump and Putin hold their sixth official call this year, focusing on the Middle East and Ukraine; Moscow expects a complete halt of Western arms deliveries to Ukraine; and Russia has become the leading investor in the Eurasian Economic Union amid Western sanctions. These stories topped Friday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
On the evening of July 3, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held their sixth official telephone conversation since Trump’s return to the White House earlier this year. According to Yuri Ushakov, Aide to the Russian President for Foreign Policy Affairs, the discussion lasted nearly an hour. Experts interviewed by Vedomosti believe that while Trump sought to pressure Putin into a ceasefire in Ukraine by suspending arms deliveries and offering diplomatic incentives, Russia remains firm on its strategic demands and is unwilling to agree to a ceasefire without addressing the underlying causes of the conflict.
Regarding international issues, the two leaders discussed the situation in the Middle East, with a particular focus on Iran, and also touched on matters concerning Syria. On these topics, Ushakov specified, Putin and Trump agreed to maintain contact through their respective agencies and advisers.
