- During a tense phone call, U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal to help mediate between Israel and Iran, redirecting the focus to Russia's war in Ukraine.
- Despite Trump's past pledges to negotiate peace, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has escalated, with Russia intensifying attacks on civilians. Ukrainian officials reported 18 deaths and nearly 200 injuries in recent strikes.
- Frustrated by Putin's refusal to engage in peace talks, Trump publicly urged him to mediate his own war first, emphasizing the need for meaningful dialogue on Ukraine.
- The exchange followed Trump's airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites and Russian officials' claims that Iran could acquire nuclear weapons, a possibility Trump disputed.
- Zelensky pushed for stronger military aid at the NATO summit as U.S. support under Biden nears expiration, while Trump expressed skepticism about Kyiv's demands, advocating instead for a negotiated deal with Russia.
U.S. President Donald Trump has rebuffed Russian President Vladimir Putin's offer to help mediate the Israel-Iran conflict, steering the conversation toward Moscow's stalled war in Ukraine.
The striking exchange recounted by Trump Tuesday, June 24, and later confirmed by Putin underscores the tangled geopolitics of war and diplomacy. The tense phone call also highlighted Trump's mounting frustration with his Russian counterpart's refusal to engage in meaningful peace talks while Moscow continues its brutal assault on Ukrainian civilians.
The real estate mogul told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to the North Atlantic Treaty Organziation (NATO) summit in The Hague: "Vladimir called me up. He said, 'Can I help you with Iran?'"
"I said, 'No, I don't need help with Iran. I need help with you,'" Trump continued, reportedly telling Putin: "Do me a favor, mediate your own. Let's mediate Russia first. OK?"
The remarks came just days after Trump ordered U.S. airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear sites – a move Putin condemned during a meeting with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi Monday, June 23. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian National Security Council, also insinuated that Tehran's allies could supply the Islamic republic with nuclear weapons – a claim Trump challenged in a sharply worded social media post.
Can Trump really broker peace while Ukraine bleeds?
The Russia-Ukraine war, now in its fourth year, remains a persistent thorn in U.S.-Russia relations. Despite Trump's campaign promise to broker a swift peace deal, the conflict has only intensified – with Russian forces launching relentless drone and missile attacks on civilian areas.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian officials reported at least 18 civilian deaths and nearly 200 injuries as a result of these attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, set to meet NATO leaders at the summit, has pressed for stronger military aid as U.S. commitments from the Biden administration near expiration. (Related: Zelensky demands $40 BILLION annually to sustain Ukraine's war against Russia.)
However, Trump has grown increasingly skeptical of Ukraine's demands – arguing that Kyiv's expectations outpace battlefield realities. "I'd like to see a deal with Russia," the U.S. president told reporters on the same day.
Meanwhile, Moscow has dismissed claims that it failed to support Iran during its recent clash with Israel. Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov insisted Russia's position was "clear" and appreciated by Tehran, as attested by Araghchi in the Monday meeting.
The diplomatic friction comes as Trump touts his success in brokering an Israel-Iran ceasefire – a rare bright spot in an otherwise volatile global landscape. Yet his public dismissal of Putin’s mediation offer signals deeper challenges ahead. With Ukraine's fate hanging in the balance and nuclear tensions simmering, the president's self-proclaimed role as a global peacemaker faces its toughest test yet.
Watch U.S. President Donald Trump recounting Putin's offer to help him mediate the Israel-Iran conflict, which Trump rebuffed.
This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.
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