Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump have had a discussion in a phone call at the initiative of the U.S. side, the Kremlin said.
“[The two leaders] discussed the current condition and the outlook of bilateral relations, with an emphasis on economic cooperation. The presidents spoke for developing of mutually beneficial trade and investment ties. They reiterated mutual commitment to intensifying dialogue in various spheres, including on strategic stability issues,” the Kremlin press service said in a statement late on Friday.
Putin briefed Trump on the main outcomes of his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that took place in Russia’s Vladivostok on April 25, “emphasizing that any faithful implementation by Pyongyang of its obligations should be accompanied with reciprocal steps on reducing the sanction pressure on North Korea,” it said.
“Both sides stressed the importance of a steady progress toward denuclearization and a long-term normalization in the Korean Peninsula,” it said.
During the telephone conversation, Putin and Trump also touched on the current situation in Ukraine, in the context of the recent presidential election. “Putin emphasized that the new leadership in Kyiv needs to take real steps in implementing of the Minsk agreements as they are key to resolving the intra-Ukrainian conflict,” the Kremlin said.
“In an exchange of views on the situation surrounding Venezuela, the Russian president stressed that only the Venezuelans themselves can by right decide the future of their country. Meanwhile, interference in the [Venezuelan] internal affairs from the outside and attempts to change the government in Caracas by force only undermine the prospect of political settlement of the crisis,” it said.
“The heads of state expressed satisfaction with the discussion which was held in a business-like and constructive manner,” it said.
“It was agreed that contacts would continue at various levels,” the Kremlin press service said.
