#UkraineWar#Putin#timesnowworld 'TERRORISM': Putin Tells Trump Kyiv Is Conducting Terrorism Against Civilians As NATO Summit Nears
With the high-stakes 2026 Ankara NATO Summit just days away, a dramatic 90-minute phone call between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump has set the global political stage on fire. Kremlin aides report that Putin characterized the current Ukrainian military campaign as "outright terrorism against civilians," specifically citing long-range strikes on Russian oil infrastructure.
As Russia continues its tactical push, capturing new ground in the Donbas—including the recent claims over Kostiantynivka—the rhetoric from Moscow is hardening. Meanwhile, President Trump has renewed his offer to mediate, with his envoys reportedly planning further trips to Moscow.
Is this the beginning of a genuine diplomatic breakthrough, or is the rhetoric just a tactical maneuver before NATO leaders convene in Turkey? We break down the latest battlefield developments, the Kremlin's accusations, and what the upcoming NATO summit means for the future of the war.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump held a constructive 85-minute phone call on July 4th. The leaders discussed the Ukrainian conflict, regional stability in Iran, and the potential for expanded bilateral cooperation in economics, military affairs, and space exploration, emphasizing a mutual desire for peaceful resolutions and diplomatic engagement.
Dear colleagues, good evening, late Saturday evening.
As you know, today, July 4th,
the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary
of its Declaration of Independence.
Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
sent a congratulatory telegram
to U.S. President Donald Trump on this occasion,
expressing confidence that establishing constructive,
equal, and mutually beneficial relations
serves the interests not only of our peoples,
but of the entire global community.
Let me remind you that earlier,
on the occasion of Russia Day, June 12th,
the U.S. President sent a warm,
congratulatory message to Vladimir Putin.
In it, Donald Trump, I quote,
paid tribute to the rich history and culture of our country,
as well as the resilience of the Russian people.
Naturally, today's telephone conversation
between the two heads of state
began with President Vladimir Putin
personally congratulating Donald Trump
and the entire American people on this significant holiday,
recalling Russia's contribution
to the development of American statehood.
In this context, the presidents noted the importance
of cherishing the shared pages of history that bind us.
They particularly emphasized that our peoples
will never forget their alliance during World War II.
Today, of course,
America is widely celebrating Independence Day.
All of this is taking place with pomp and circumstance,
just as Donald Trump knows how to organize.
And our president, of course, took notice.
The conversation, already the fourth this year,
was naturally not only formal,
but also businesslike and quite constructive.
This conversation allowed for a frank discussion
of current issues on the bilateral
and international agendas.
Incidentally, the conversation lasted
almost an hour and a half,
or exactly one hour and 25 minutes.
The presidents naturally touched on the topic
of Ukrainian regulation,
including in light of Donald Trump's
upcoming participation in the NATO summit in Turkey
on July 7th at 38.
The American president reaffirmed his readiness
to facilitate a swift end to hostilities
and the search for peaceful solutions to the crisis.
His special representatives,
Igg Vitkov and Jared Kushner,
will continue their mediation efforts
and are prepared to travel to Moscow at a convenient time.
The Russian side reiterated its preference
for a political and diplomatic resolution of the conflict,
while taking into account
Russia's well-known principled approaches.
However, Kiev and its European sponsors
are banking on prolonging and even escalating the conflict
on terrorism against civilians.
The European War Party is operating
from a false perception of the overall situation
and the state of affairs along the line of contact.
Our president has painted a picture
of the real situation on the battlefield,
where Russian armed forces are confidently advancing,
liberating one settlement after another.
Establishing control over such a key
Ukrainian armed forces stronghold as Kostiantynivka
was a key step in liberating the entire territory
of the Donetsk People's Republic.
And no matter how much the Kiev regime
clings to the remaining fortified areas,
our army will surely take them.
Regarding the situation around Iran,
Vladimir Putin expressed hope that the negotiation process
based on the memorandum of understanding
between the U.S. and Iran
will allow for mutually acceptable long-term solutions
to key settlement issues.
Our readiness to provide practical assistance
to deescalate and stabilize the situation
in the region was confirmed.
Donald Trump, in turn, thanked the Russian side
for its balanced position and constructive proposals.
Speaking about bilateral relations,
the presidents emphasized the importance
of continuing contacts, including on military,
political, and, of course, economic issues.
Here, enormous prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation
between our countries are evident.
To achieve this, Donald Trump emphasized,
the Ukrainian conflict must be resolved as soon as possible.
The conversation particularly noted the symbolism
of the launch of a joint Russian-American crew
to the International Space Station
from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the coming days.
This is a concrete example confirming
that the two powers are interested
in working closely together and in a wide variety of areas.
Naturally, this includes culture,
which unites our sympathetic peoples.
Donald Trump, incidentally, mentioned his personal admiration
for the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.
Football was also discussed.
Vladimir Putin, considering Russia's experience in 2018,
wished the World Cup a continued success.
The leaders agreed to stay in touch and speak again soon.
Our president recalled that Donald Trump
has a standing invitation to visit Russia.
It's worth noting, dear colleagues,
that the Russian side initiated
the previous telephone contact on June 14th,
Donald Trump's 80th birthday.
This time, it was our American partners
who proposed holding the conversation
on the day of the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
And that says a lot.
Thank you very much.
