Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump may have more contacts compared to two publicly declared telephone calls in recent months, Kremlin said in a video footage published by the state television on Sunday.
Trump, who says that he wants to be remembered as a peacemaker, has repeatedly stated that he wants to end three years of struggle in Ukraine and warned of rising risks between the United States and Russia in the world war.
So far this year, two declared phone calls have come between Putin and Trump – on February 12 and March 18 – although there has been speculation about much contact, and also reports that he spoke before Trump was elected last year.
Kremlin spokesman Dimitri Peskov said that the comment by Trump was asked by the most prominent Kremlin Correspondent for the state television that Trump has said about the comment that there could be more than two calls.
“Listen, we inform you about the conversations that we know. But we cannot deny everything else,” Peskov said.
Pavel Zarbin of State Television then asked: “So they are possible according to all kinds of nuances?” To which Peskov replied: “Okay, how will I answer your question.”
The contacts between Trump and Putin have tamped up European leaders, who are afraid that the United States may turn towards Europe in the hope of attacking Russia in Europe, as part of some comprehensive grand bargaining, oil prices, competing with the Middle East and China.
Trump told the Washington examiner that he had been talking to the Russian leader for weeks.
Prior to contacts with Trump, Putin last spoke to a sitting US President in February 2022, when he and Joe Biden ordered tens of tens in Ukraine some time ago.
Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward reported in his 2024 book “War” that Trump had a direct conversation with Putin seven times after leaving the White House in 2021.
Asked if this was true in an interview in Bloomberg last year, Trump said: “If I did, it’s a smart thing.” Kremlin denied Woodward report.
Reuters, Washington Post and Exios separately stated that Trump and Putin spoke in early November. Kremlin also denied those reports.
Energy attack
Peskov said that Putin and Trump may have another phone call if Ukraine continues to attack Russian energy infrastructure.
Putin agreed last week on suspension of such attacks in a phone call with Trump. Kiev, stating that it will be ready to participate in such a partial ceasefire. If a document agrees to meet its terms, Russia has accused Russia of not following Putin’s order, some Moscow denied.
“While the Russian side has now clung to its word for several days, the word given by the President, and for the command of the President, which is immediately implemented and implemented immediately, and still being implemented, cannot be said about the same kiv regime”, Peskov said.
Russia and Ukraine on Friday accused each other of flying a Russian gas pumping station in a border area, where Ukrainian soldiers are retreating. Russia said that on Saturday it reserves the right to “symmetrical response” to Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities.
Asked whether the violation of Ukraine’s agreement could be a reason for another Putin-Trump call, Peskov said: “Absolutely. The presidents confirmed their intentions to continue contact as necessary.”
In another clip released on the first Zarbin’s Telegram Channel on Sunday, Peskov said the latest phone call between Putin and Trump “was a step towards a face-to-face meeting”, saying that the Russian-US talks in Riyadh would be such a step set for Monday, the interfax news agency said.
