MOSCOW/KYIV - Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump on Saturday, according to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov.
The United States is commemorating the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding on Saturday, its Independence Day. Ushakov confirmed that Putin congratulated Trump on the holiday.
"This conversation, the fourth such exchange this year, was naturally not merely a routine protocol exchange but business-focused and highly constructive. It allowed for a frank discussion of pressing issues on the bilateral and international agenda," the presidential aide noted.
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During the dialogue, Putin laid out the real battlefield situation, where Russian troops are advancing along the full line of contact. Ushakov stressed that European nations hold a flawed perception of the overall dynamics and ground realities along the contact line amid the Ukraine conflict.
On bilateral ties, the two presidents underscored the importance of sustaining consistent communication, including on military-political and economic fronts. "There exist vast prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation between our two nations in these spheres. Trump stressed that an early resolution to the Ukraine conflict would serve as a prerequisite to unlocking such cooperation," Ushakov said.
Ukraine: Konstantinovka remains under control
Meanwhile, Ukraine's General Staff on Saturday rejected Russia's statement that Russian forces had taken control of Konstantinovka in the Donetsk region, saying the city remains under Ukrainian control.
Andriy Kovaliov, spokesman for the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said information claiming that Russian troops had captured Konstantinovka "does not correspond to reality".
Based on data from Ukraine's operational monitoring systems, Konstantinovka remains under the control of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, he said, adding that Ukrainian units continue defensive operations in the city and on its outskirts.
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He said Russian forces are continuing their attempts to seize the city, with small infantry groups infiltrating deep into Ukrainian defensive positions. Ukrainian forces are conducting counter-sabotage operations in the city to detect and eliminate the infiltrating units.
Putin said on Friday that Russian forces had taken control of Konstantinovka, describing its capture as "a key step toward the liberation of the Donetsk region".
