Former U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that both he and Russian President Vladimir Putin agree the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran must come to an end. The comments followed a nearly hour-long phone call between the two leaders, during which they discussed escalating Middle East tensions and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end.”
The call came less than 48 hours after Israel launched airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear sites, prompting Iran to retaliate with waves of missile attacks on Israeli territory. Trump noted that while most of the call focused on the Middle East, “much less time” was spent discussing Ukraine, which he said would be addressed in a follow-up conversation.
Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov confirmed the call and 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.”
The crisis also led to the cancellation of nuclear negotiations originally scheduled for Sunday in Oman. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi confirmed that the talks were postponed due to the Israeli strikes. Despite this, a U.S. official stated, “While there will be no meeting Sunday, we remain committed to talks and hope the Iranians will come to the table soon.”
According to Ushakov, Putin briefed Trump on recent conversations with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reiterating Russia’s readiness to mediate. Trump echoed that sentiment, reportedly telling Putin that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is prepared to resume nuclear discussions with Iran once hostilities ease.
In a separate statement, Trump said: “They can still work out a deal, however, it’s not too late.”
The Kremlin indicated that the two leaders also expressed interest in continued collaboration on diplomatic solutions, with Putin reaffirming Moscow’s offer to help resolve nuclear tensions through “mutually acceptable agreements.”
Behind the scenes, Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas that Tehran would not continue talks with Washington while Israeli attacks persist. However, according to diplomatic sources, Iran may be open to negotiations once its military response concludes.
The call also touched on the Ukraine conflict, with Putin reportedly expressing Russia’s readiness to resume peace talks with Ukraine after June 22, coinciding with ongoing prisoner swaps facilitated in Istanbul.
As the conflict intensifies, both Trump and Putin’s statements signal renewed diplomatic overtures amid rising global concern over the Middle East’s volatile trajectory.