Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated that Moscow is prepared to resume peace talks with Ukraine later this month, following the completion of an ongoing prisoner and casualty exchange between the two countries. The announcement came during a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday.
This marks the fifth conversation between the two leaders since Trump returned to office, as his administration seeks to reshape U.S.-Russia relations—a significant shift from the firmer stance taken by former President Joe Biden.
Putin stated that discussions could begin after June 22, once the exchange of wounded prisoners and the repatriation of fallen soldiers concludes. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not confirmed Kyiv’s participation in the talks.
“The exchanges will be completed, and the parties will discuss the next step,” Zelensky said, while expressing concern over what he described as a “too warm” tone in recent U.S. messaging toward Russia.
“Treating Ukraine and Russia as equals is deeply unfair. Russia is the aggressor. They started this war and do not want to end it,” Zelensky said on X (formerly Twitter), adding that any signs of reduced U.S. support could be damaging.
The Kremlin described the call as “businesslike,” stating that both leaders were satisfied with their personal rapport and discussed a wide range of bilateral and global issues.
Adding to Ukrainian concerns is the escalating conflict in the Middle East, where Israel has launched a major offensive against Iran. Zelensky warned that global focus could shift away from Ukraine: “We hope aid to Ukraine won’t decline because of this.”
Meanwhile, Moscow and Kyiv carried out their fourth prisoner swap in a week on Saturday, part of a broader Istanbul-brokered agreement. Both sides exchanged 1,000 wounded prisoners and returned the remains of fallen soldiers. Ukraine also said it received 1,200 unidentified bodies claimed by Russia to be Ukrainian, though it did not confirm if any were returned.
Despite the humanitarian progress, major obstacles remain. Russia continues to demand that Ukraine cede territory and abandon Western military support—conditions Kyiv firmly rejects.
On the frontlines, Russia has ramped up its offensive in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the northeastern Sumy region, aiming to create a buffer zone near Russia’s Kursk region. Zelensky reported that Ukrainian forces had repelled recent attacks and retaken a village, contradicting Russian claims of advances into the Dnipropetrovsk region.
He estimated that around 53,000 Russian troops are currently involved in the Sumy offensive.