Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, had a one-hour-and-ten-minute telephone conversation yesterday, but there was no agreement on a face-to-face meeting between them. Despite the absence of a specific agreement, both sides agreed that such a meeting is necessary and should be prepared in an appropriate manner.

“There was no agreement on a meeting because there is a common understanding that it is necessary, but it should be adequately prepared. Tangible results are needed so that they can be recorded at the highest level,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during a briefing for journalists.

Discussion focusing on Ukraine and attacks

Peskov described the conversation between the two presidents as “constructive and necessary,” noting that numerous important issues were discussed. The situation in Ukraine was a central topic of the communication, with the Russian president briefing his US counterpart in detail on the results of the Istanbul talks. Putin also reportedly commented on the recent attacks, which he attributed to the “Kiev regime”, which he described as responsible for terrorist acts.

“Kiev is behaving like a terrorist regime.”

Asked by reporters about the possibility of suspending negotiations with Ukraine in case of new attacks, Dmitry Peskov left the possibility open, saying the Russian side would take Kiev’s behavior into account.

“The fact that the Kiev regime has acquired all the characteristics of a terrorist regime cannot, of course, be ignored in the future and will be taken into account in the next negotiations,” the Kremlin spokesman said.

Yesterday’s was the fourth phone call between Putin and Trump since the US president took office, at a time when diplomatic balances are being severely tested under the shadow of developments on the Ukrainian front.