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       MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin told his US counterpart Donald Trump on Saturday that Moscow was ready to hold a fresh round of peace talks with Kyiv after June 22, once the sides complete exchanging prisoners and soldiers’ bodies.

       Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky meanwhile did not mention whether Ukraine would agree to the next round of talks, only saying that “the exchanges will be completed and the parties will discuss the next step.”

       Putin and Trump held a call for the fifth time since the Republican took office and sought to reset relations with Moscow, in a stark pivot from the approach of his predecessor Joe Biden’s administration.

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       Trump’s approach has stunned Washington’s allies, raising doubts about the future of US aid to Kyiv and leaving Europe scrambling to work out how it can fill any gap in supplies if Trump decides to pull US military, financial and intelligence support.

       “Both leaders expressed satisfaction with their personal relations,” during the call, in which they also discussed the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, the Kremlin said.

       It added that the presidents “communicate in a businesslike manner and seek solutions to pressing issues on the bilateral and international agenda, no matter how complex these issues may be.” Zelensky urged the United States to “shift tone” in its dialogue with Russia, saying it was “too warm” and would not help to end the fighting.

       “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,” the Ukrainian President said on X.

       Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2025