Russian President Vladimir Putin told Donald Trump that Moscow is ready for new peace talks with Ukraine. He said these talks can begin after June 22. But first, both sides must complete the exchange of prisoners and bodies of dead soldiers.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not confirm whether Ukraine would join the talks. Instead, he said, “the exchanges will be completed and the parties will discuss the next step.”

Trump’s Friendly Tone Worries Allies

Since returning to office, Trump has spoken with Putin five times. He has tried to rebuild ties with Moscow. This marks a major shift from the tougher stance taken by Joe Biden.

As a result, Trump’s softer tone has shocked Washington’s allies. It has also raised doubts about the future of US aid to Ukraine. Now, European leaders are scrambling to prepare in case the US cuts military, financial, or intelligence support.

According to the Kremlin, “Both leaders expressed satisfaction with their personal relations.” In addition, they discussed the rising conflict between Israel and Iran. The Kremlin also noted that the two presidents “communicate in a businesslike manner and seek solutions to pressing issues… no matter how complex these issues may be.”

Birthday Call Focuses on War

Trump later posted on Truth Social that Putin had called him “to very nicely wish me a Happy Birthday” as he turned 79. However, he stressed that they also discussed the Israel-Iran conflict.

He added, “He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end.” Trump was referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Zelensky Criticizes US-Russia Dialogue

In response, Zelensky urged the United States to “shift tone” in its talks with Russia. He warned that showing warmth to Moscow would not help bring peace.

He wrote on X, “Any signals of reduced aid, or of treating Ukraine and Russia as equals, are deeply unfair. Russia is the aggressor. They started this war. They do not want to end it.”

Furthermore, Zelensky expressed concern that the war in Israel might pull US attention and resources away from Ukraine. He said, “We would like to see aid to Ukraine not decrease because of this. Last time, this was a factor that slowed down aid to Ukraine.”

More Prisoners and Bodies Exchanged

Earlier on Saturday, Ukraine and Russia carried out their fourth prisoner exchange in a week. This effort is part of a larger deal to return 1,000 wounded soldiers from each side and to exchange bodies of the dead.

Photos shared by Zelensky on Telegram showed Ukrainian soldiers returning. Many had shaved heads and wore camouflage. Some were injured. They draped themselves in Ukrainian flags, hugged family members, or made emotional phone calls.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defence Ministry released a video of returning Russian troops. They held flags, raised their fists, and shouted, “Glory to Russia” and “hooray.”

In addition, Ukraine confirmed that Russia handed over 1,200 unidentified bodies. Moscow said they were “Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel.” However, Ukraine did not reveal whether it returned any bodies in exchange.

Russia Pushes Forward, Ukraine Fights Back

Despite the ongoing talks, Russia has refused to end its invasion. It continues to demand that Ukraine give up territory and stop receiving support from Western allies. Since February 2022, the war has destroyed cities and forced millions of Ukrainians to flee their homes.

At the same time, Russia has increased its attacks along the front line, especially in the northeastern Sumy region. Moscow wants to create a buffer zone to protect its nearby Kursk region.

However, Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s forces stopped the Russian advance in Sumy. He also said they recaptured one village. In addition, he denied Moscow’s claim that Russian troops had entered the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Finally, he said 53,000 Russian soldiers are involved in the Sumy operation.