Putin-Trump call after US halts some arms shipments to Ukraine
The Kremlin said Putin told him he plans to keep fighting in Ukraine, until Russia achieves its goal of eliminating what it calls the "root causes" of the conflict.
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Trump again pressed for an early ceasefire during the conversation, which lasted about an hour.
But Putin stressed that Moscow will not back down until its conditions are met. Russia has been demanding "Ukraine's neutrality."
Trump said he did not make any progress at all, and he is unhappy with the outcome.
Their talk took place two days after the Trump administration confirmed it halted some weapons shipments to Ukraine.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that the shipments were already in Poland when they were halted. It said they include Patriot air-defense interceptors and Stinger surface-to-air missiles.
Ukraine is closely watching to see if the United States will keep providing it with military aid.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he hoped to speak with Trump on Friday, or in the coming days. He added that Kyiv is ready to take part in a meeting with Putin to bring peace.
Russian forces have been intensifying attacks across Ukraine. In June alone, they launched around 5,400 long-range drones over Ukraine, which is more than in any month since Russia's invasion.
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