Putin, Trump agree to stay in close contact on Ukraine, other current issues - Kremlin aide Ushakov

MOSCOW. Aug 19 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed during their phone conversation to stay in close contact on Ukraine and other pressing issues on the international and bilateral agenda, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said.

"It's worth noting that Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump agreed to continue close contacts with each other on the Ukraine issue and other important matters on the international and bilateral agenda," Ushakov told journalists.

"The president of Russia reiterated the importance of the efforts being made by Donald Trump personally in finding solutions leading to a long-term settlement in Ukraine," he said.

"The conversation was frank and quite constructive," Ushakov said.

Ushakov said earlier that President Trump called President Putin to inform him about his talks with Vladimir Zelensky and the leaders of several European countries. The conversation lasted about 40 minutes. During the call, President Putin warmly thanked his U.S. counterpart for the hospitality and good organization of the summit in Alaska and for the progress achieved at the talks towards a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. Trump, in turn, informed Putin about the negotiations with Vladimir Zelensky and the leaders of several European countries that had just ended in the White House.

On Monday Trump held a meeting Zelensky in Washington. It was later joined by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.