DID Press: US and Russia presidents held their ninth phone call of the year to discuss the situation in Ukraine and avenues for bilateral cooperation, agreeing to continue talks through the creation of two special working groups focused on security and economic issues.
The call, initiated by US President Donald Trump, lasted about one hour and 15 minutes.
Trump said Ukraine crisis has been a challenging issue for him and expressed confidence in Russia’s commitment to resolving the conflict through political and diplomatic means.
Under the agreement, one working group will focus on security matters and the other on economic issues, with their launch expected in early January.
Kremlin said Kyiv has made a “bold decision” to seek a swift settlement of the Donbas situation, while warning that a temporary ceasefire could lead to a resumption of hostilities.
The two leaders also discussed the future of economic cooperation and Washington–Moscow relations after the end of the crisis.
The call included an exchange of Christmas and New Year greetings and was described as friendly and positive in tone.
The conversation took place ahead of Trump’s planned meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and marked the ninth phone discussion between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin this year.