14 Jun (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin sent birthday greetings this Sunday to United States President Donald Trump, describing him as a “brilliant and remarkable person and politician”, suggesting that the two leaders could take relations between their countries to a new level.
“Dear Mr. President, dear Donald, I congratulate you with all my heart, such a brilliant and outstanding person and politician, on your 80th birthday!” Putin said in his message on the Kremlin website, cited by Russian news agencies.
The Russian leader spoke with Trump on the phone for 55 minutes, according to Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, during which, according to him, Putin offered his congratulations in an “informal” manner.
In his congratulatory message, Putin stated that he “values the mutual understanding between us, which allows us to discuss… even the most complex issues on the bilateral and international agenda in an open and frank manner”.
“I am sure that together we could really give a new quality to Russian-American relations and also do a lot to ensure security and stability on the world stage,” Putin wrote.
The leaders last met in Alaska in August 2025 in an attempt to reach a settlement for the war between Ukraine and Russia.
