U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin expressed regret over the decline in U.S.-Russia relations during their phone call this week, while also reflecting on their countries’ World War II alliance, a senior Kremlin official said Tuesday.
“The leaders spoke at length and warmly about how our countries were allies during World War II against Nazi Germany and militarist Japan,” said Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov, according to state-run news agency TASS.
“Trump remembers this brotherhood in arms and said with regret that our countries are not only no longer together, but very far apart due to strange circumstances,” he added.
Ushakov also said Trump was “deeply impressed” by the Soviet Union’s wartime losses — an estimated 27 million deaths. The comment followed criticism from Russian officials after Trump claimed the U.S. “did more than any other country... in producing a victorious result on World War II.”
“Trump shared [with Putin] that many in America simply don’t believe him, but the fact remains that Russians sacrificed their lives more than anyone else,” the aide was quoted as saying.
The two leaders said their call on Monday “went very well” and was “substantive and quite candid,” but did not mention the World War II discussion in public statements. It was their third conversation since Trump’s inauguration in January.
Putin rejected calls for a 30-day ceasefire, instead proposing a “memorandum” with Ukraine that could form the basis of a future peace agreement. Trump said after the call that Russian-Ukrainian talks would begin “immediately.”
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
