Trump says Putin wished him happy birthday, both agree to end Israel-Iran war
Washington DC: US President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) revealed that he received a call from Russian President Vladimir Putin on his 79th birthday and and talked about the war between Israel and Iran, which both leaders agreed "should end."
The conversation occurred before Trump is set to mark hi 79th birthday in the evening by attending a military parade on the streets of Washington DC to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the US Army.
Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, "President Putin called this morning to very nicely wish me a Happy Birthday, but to more importantly, talk about Iran, a country he knows very well."
The phone call, which lasted around an hour, primarily focused on the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. Trump mentioned that Putin is well-versed in Iranian affairs and shared his concerns about the conflict.
"The call lasted approximately 1 hour. He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end," said Trump.
Trump emphasised that the situation in the region is "very alarming" and urged Putin to end Russia's involvement in the Ukraine.
Trump said he and Putin spent "much less time" talking about Russia's war in Ukraine during the approximately one-hour call. He said that topic "will be for next week."
The leaders also touched on a potential prisoner swap, with large numbers of prisoners being exchanged immediately from both sides.
"We talked at length. Much less time was spent talking about Russia/Ukraine, but that will be for next week. He is doing the planned prisoner swaps - large numbers of prisoners are being exchanged, immediately, from both sides," added Trump.
Although the majority of the conversation centered around the Middle East, Trump did bring up the Ukraine conflict, stating that they would discuss it further the following week. Putin reportedly briefed Trump on his recent talks with Iranian and Israeli leaders, reiterating Russia's proposal for mutually acceptable solutions on the Iranian nuclear issue.
The conversation marks the fifth call between the two leaders since Trump took office and signalled a shift in US policy toward Russia, a significant departure from the stance held by his predecessor, Joe Biden.
While Biden rallied international support to condemn Russia's 2022 invasion, Trump has cultivated a friendly relationship with Vladimir Putin, often praising the Russian leader's strategic thinking.
Trump's stance has raised eyebrows, particularly his tendency to blame both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the ongoing war.
Trump has criticised Zelenskyy's handling of the conflict, even labeling him a "dictator" due to postponed elections in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed the call between Trump and Putin. He said, "Vladimir Putin condemned Israel's military operation against Iran and expressed serious concern about a possible escalation of the conflict, which would have unpredictable consequences for the entire situation in the Middle East."
According to Ushakov, Trump described events in the Middle East as "very alarming." The two leaders also said they do not rule out a return to the negotiating track on Iran's nuclear program, Ushakov said.
On Friday, June 13 Israel launched a large-scale strike on Iranian territory, targeting nuclear sites, Iran launched three retaliatory waves of missiles at targets in Israel.
Projectiles were seen in the skies above Jerusalem late Saturday as Iran and Israel launched another round of missiles at each other, according to CNN.
Israel has launched a wave of strikes targeting different areas of Iran, according to the Israeli military and Iranian media.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson Effie Defrin said that the Israeli Air Force's (IAF) "ongoing operation" has lasted nearly 40 hours and targeted over 150 objectives.
"IAF aircraft are completing a wave of strikes against military and strategic assets, nuclear program sites, and high-ranking figures in Iran's terror leadership. These are significant targets at the very heart of Iran and its terrorist proxies," Defrin said.
The IDF confirmed that they are currently striking military targets in Tehran.
Air defenses were activated in several Iranian cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, and Mashhad, Iran's state-owned Press TV reported.
Iranian state media also posted videos purportedly of air defenses intercepting projectiles in Zanjan and Khorramabad.
Iran has launched a new barrage of projectiles towards Israel, state media outlet IRNA reported late Saturday.
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