Key facts
- One person was killed and two others injured in a Ukrainian attack on Crimea.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin separately spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump.
- Zelenskyy and Trump discussed the war's front line and the prospect of ending it, agreeing to meet at the NATO summit in Ankara.
- Putin and Trump discussed the conflict, with Putin emphasizing a diplomatic settlement and accusing Ukraine and its allies of prolonging the war.
- Putin informed Trump about Russian military advances, including the capture of Kostyantynivka.
One person was killed and two others injured in a Ukrainian attack on Russian-occupied Crimea, Moscow-installed officials reported early Sunday. The incident occurred as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy separately held calls with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss ending the ongoing war.
Sergei Aksyonov, the Russia-installed regional Governor of Crimea, stated on Telegram that one individual sustained serious injuries. Ukraine has recently intensified attacks on infrastructure in Crimea, aiming to isolate the peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014. Analysts suggest these strikes demonstrate Kyiv's capability to damage Russian assets and increase pressure on Moscow.
During his call, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence and discussed the war's front line, noting a "real prospect of ending this war" with crucial American support. They agreed to continue discussions in person at the NATO summit in Ankara.
The Kremlin reported that Putin and Trump's nearly hour-and-a-half call was "constructive." Putin congratulated Trump on the anniversary and reiterated Russia's preference for a diplomatic settlement that considers its fundamental positions. Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov stated that Trump reaffirmed his readiness to help achieve a quick cessation of hostilities and that Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would continue mediation efforts.
Ushakov also claimed Putin told Trump that Kyiv and its European allies are focused on prolonging the conflict, which he attributed to a flawed perception of the situation by the "European 'party of war.'" Putin reportedly informed Trump about Russian military advances, including the capture of Kostyantynivka, which he described as a significant step toward liberating the entire Donetsk region, a claim denied by Kyiv.