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The Kremlin on Monday dismissed a U.S. media report claiming that Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump spoke by phone about the Ukraine conflict last week.
The call, first reported by the Washington Post on Sunday that Trump had advised Putin against escalating the war, but Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called the report "completely false."
The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources familiar with the call, reported that Trump spoke with Putin from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. During the call, Trump allegedly urged Putin not to escalate the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, reminding the Russian leader of the U.S. military's significant presence in Europe.
However, the call was not officially confirmed by Trump's communications team, with spokesperson Steven Cheung declining to comment on private conversations.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov firmly denied the report, telling journalists that no such phone call between Putin and Trump took place. "This is completely false information," Peskov stated, countering claims made by U.S. media outlets.
Despite the denial, the report has raised questions about Trump’s approach to the Ukraine conflict following his recent election victory.
According to The Washington Post, Trump also held a separate phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday. Sources indicate that the conversation left Zelenskyy somewhat reassured, despite Trump's previous criticism of U.S. military aid to Ukraine.
European allies remain concerned about what Trump's second term might mean for continued support for Kyiv.
With Trump set to take office in January, the outgoing Biden administration is accelerating aid to Ukraine.
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed that the White House aims to use the remaining $6 billion in allocated funding to bolster Ukraine's position on the battlefield and in future negotiations.
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