Kremlin denies WashPo report that Putin, Trump spoke on phone
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Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denies any phone conversation between Trump and Putin, describing the Washington Post report as "completely untrue".
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The Kremlin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of the New Development Bank Dilma Rousseff on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit at Kazan Kremlin in Kazan, Russia, on October 22, 2024. (AP)
The Kremlin denied Monday a report from US media claiming that Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President-elect Donald Trump had discussed the Ukraine conflict during a phone call last week.
This comes after The Washington Post reported on Sunday that Trump spoke with Putin on Thursday, urging him not to escalate the situation in Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists that The Washington Post report "is completely untrue. This is pure fiction, it's just false information," adding that "there was no conversation."
"This is the most obvious example of the quality of the information that is being published now, sometimes even in fairly reputable publications," Peskov said.
The Washington Post's report stated that during the call, Trump reminded Putin of the United States' significant military presence in Europe.
According to sources quoted by the newspaper, Trump also expressed a desire for continued discussions aimed at reaching a "quick resolution" to the war in Ukraine.
During his campaign, Trump promised to bring an immediate end to the conflict, and sources indicated that he might support a deal allowing Russia to retain certain territories it has captured.
Trump briefly raised the issue of territorial concessions during the call, suggesting a willingness to negotiate Ukraine's contested regions, though specifics remain unconfirmed.
In turn, the Russian President has demanded Ukraine withdraw from swathes of eastern and southern territories as a precondition to peace talks.
No preparations underway for Putin's contacts with Western leaders
In response to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's comments on Sunday, in which he indicated that the "right time" for talks with Putin would come soon, Peskov stated that no preparations are being made for a phone conversation between Putin and Western leaders.
He added that Moscow has not received any signals suggesting such talks are imminent.
"There are no preparations underway right now, we have not received any signals," Peskov told reporters when asked whether preparations are underway for Putin’s negotiations with Scholz.
