President Trump received birthday calls from both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, as he turned 80 ahead of the Group of 7 summit in France this week. The conversations come at a moment when Trump has stepped back from mediating the Russia-Ukraine conflict, distracted by the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran.
Putin's Call: Praise and Iran Talk
Putin’s call lasted just under an hour, according to the Kremlin. The Russian leader offered effusive birthday greetings, calling Trump “a truly remarkable and extraordinary person and politician.” The two discussed Iran, with Trump claiming a deal with Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz was close—a statement he later declared done on Sunday night.
Putin aide Yury Ushakov said Trump raised the need for a ceasefire in Russia’s more than four-year war with Ukraine, adding that Trump “is ready to influence” European partners and Kyiv during the G7 summit. Ushakov also revealed that Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner will travel to Russia “in the near future.” He quoted Trump as saying that ending the war sooner could “open up prospects for giving Russia-US relations a new quality.”
Zelensky’s Call: Gratitude and Battlefield Updates
Zelensky said he congratulated Trump on his birthday and held a “detailed discussion.” The Ukrainian leader thanked Trump for U.S. support—from Javelins to Patriot systems—and briefed him on how Ukraine has strengthened its battlefield position. The two agreed to talk further at the G7 about advancing peace and protecting lives.
Zelensky has publicly pleaded with Trump for more Patriot interceptors to counter Russian ballistic missiles, as Ukraine’s air defenses weaken under relentless Russian drone and missile barrages. Despite recent Ukrainian gains on the ground, Russia continues to pound the country.
Trump’s Stalled Peace Push
Trump campaigned on ending the Russia-Ukraine war within “one day” of returning to office, but he has struggled to secure any meaningful concessions from Putin over his first term. The battlefield has shifted in recent months, with Ukraine reclaiming more territory than it lost, but Russia’s aerial assaults exploit gaps in Ukraine’s defenses.
The G7 summit, which begins Monday, is expected to feature discussions on Iran, trade, and the Ukraine conflict. Allies are bracing for clashes with Trump over his Iran deal claims and his approach to the war. As Trump heads to the G7 amid scrutiny of his preliminary Iran deal, the phone calls highlight his dual role as both a birthday celebrant and a key player in two major crises.
