US President Donald Trump disclosed details of a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, sharing the information through his Truth Social platform.
According to Trump, Putin initiated the call to congratulate him on his birthday. The conversation covered multiple international issues, with Iran featuring prominently in their discussions. Trump indicated that Putin “knows this country very well,” suggesting the Russian leader’s familiarity with Iranian affairs influenced their dialogue.
Earlier, Putin’s assistant Yuri Ushakov told Russian state agency TASS that both leaders discussed the Israel-Iran conflict extensively, with Putin offering Russia as a mediator between the countries while condemning Israeli actions. Trump assessed the situation between the nations as “alarming” but noted the effectiveness of Israeli strikes against Iran.
The US President revealed that while Russia and Ukraine were discussed, these topics received limited attention during this particular call.
“We talked at length. We spent much less time talking about Russia and Ukraine, but that will be next week,” Trump stated, indicating future discussions on the conflict are planned.
Trump disclosed that Putin is also coordinating a prisoner exchange involving “a large number of prisoners” from both sides, describing the exchange as imminent.
Ukraine and Russia conducted a series of prisoner exchanges in June 2025, with the fourth swap occurring on 14 June, marking intense ongoing efforts to repatriate captives following an agreement reached during talks in Istanbul on 2 June. These exchanges primarily focus on releasing severely wounded, seriously ill soldiers, and military personnel aged 18 to 25, many of whom have been held since 2022.
Both leaders addressed peace negotiations regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, with Putin declaring that Russia is ready to continue dialogue with Ukraine after 22 June, according to Ushakov. Trump confirmed his desire for the quickest possible end to the war in Ukraine.
However, on 15 June, shortly after Putin congratulated Trump on his birthday during a phone call, Russia launched its largest missile and drone strike on the Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk, targeting critical energy and agricultural infrastructure. The strike hit Kremenchuk Thermal Power Plant and oil refinery, vital for Ukraine’s energy and defense systems.
The assault, involving nearly 200 missiles and drones, caused around 30 explosions and fires that burned for hours, damaging residential buildings and vehicles but reportedly causing no casualties due to effective Ukrainian air defenses that intercepted most of the attack.
On his birthday, Trump also attended a military parade in Washington, D.C., featuring over 6,000 troops, 128 tanks, armored vehicles, helicopters, and a 21-gun salute, as part of the US Army’s 250th anniversary celebration.
Despite the grandeur, attendance was much lower than expected, and the parade occurred amid widespread protests nationwide under the “No Kings” movement, denouncing Trump’s perceived authoritarianism and criticizing the parade as an extravagant, ego-driven display amid ongoing political and social divisions.
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