The US and Russian leaders spoke for nearly 1.5 hours on the 250th anniversary of American independence, according to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump have held a phone call, during which they discussed the Ukraine conflict, the situation around Iran, and the prospects for restoring bilateral ties, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov has said.The conversation took place on Saturday, as the United States marked the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. According to Ushakov, Putin personally congratulated Trump and the American people on the milestone, after sending a formal message to the White House a day earlier.The leaders discussed the Ukraine conflict, including in the context of Trump’s planned participation in the NATO summit in Türkiye on July 7-8, Ushakov said. According to the Kremlin aide, the US president again confirmed his readiness to help bring the hostilities to an end and seek a peaceful settlement.Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will continue mediation efforts and are ready to visit Moscow “at a convenient time,” Ushakov added.Putin reiterated Moscow’s preference for a political and diplomatic settlement, provided that Russia’s core positions are taken into account. At the same time, he accused Kiev and its European backers of seeking to prolong and escalate the conflict, including through “terrorism against civilians.”The Russian president also briefed Trump on what Ushakov described as the real situation on the battlefield, saying Russian forces were advancing along the entire line of contact and taking “one settlement after another.”According to Ushakov, Putin described the liberation of Konstantinovka, a key Ukrainian stronghold, as an important step toward establishing full control over the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic. The Kremlin aide said Moscow expects the remaining fortified areas still held by Kiev’s forces to be taken as well.Trump, for his part, noted the “enormous prospects” for cooperation between Russia and the US that could open up once the Ukraine conflict is resolved, according to Ushakov.DETAILS TO FOLLOW