United States President Donald Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which Putin congratulated Trump on brokering a ceasefire in Gaza that resulted in the release of all remaining hostages. Trump shared details of the conversation, highlighting Putin's praise for the achievement and expressing hope that the success in the Middle East could aid negotiations to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Putin also thanked First Lady Melania Trump for her involvement with children and expressed interest in continuing cooperation. The leaders discussed future trade relations between their countries, contingent on the resolution of the war in Ukraine. They agreed to convene meetings of high-level advisors next week, with a follow-up summit planned in Budapest, Hungary.
Trump stated that he would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss the recent developments and his conversation with Putin. He expressed optimism about the progress made during the call and the potential for further diplomatic breakthroughs.