Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump may have had more frequent communications than the two publicly acknowledged phone calls in recent months, according to the Kremlin in footage released by state television.
Trump, who aims to be remembered as a peacemaker, has expressed a desire for an end to the three-year conflict in Ukraine and warned of the potential for escalation into a global conflict between the United States and Russia.
This year, two official calls between Putin and Trump have been announced, although there is speculation about additional contact. Reports suggest they spoke before Trump was elected last year.
When asked by a prominent Kremlin correspondent about Trump's indications that more than two calls may have occurred, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that only the calls he was aware of had been disclosed. He added, "We can't rule out everything else."
State television correspondent Pavel Zarubin inquired if "all sorts of nuances are possible," to which Peskov responded affirmatively.
The interactions between Trump and Putin have raised concerns among European leaders, who fear that the United States might be distancing itself from Europe in hopes of reaching a peace agreement with Russia as part of a broader deal involving oil prices, the Middle East, and competition with China.
Before engaging with Trump, Putin last communicated with a sitting U.S. president in February 2022, shortly before the Russian leader mobilized tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine. In his 2024 book, journalist Bob Woodward reported that Trump had direct conversations with Putin up to seven times after leaving the White House in 2021. When asked about this in an interview last year, Trump remarked, "If I did, it's a smart thing," though the Kremlin denied Woodward's account.
Separate reports revealed that Trump and Putin spoke in early November, which the Kremlin also denied.
Peskov indicated that another phone call might occur if Ukraine continues its strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. He noted that Putin previously discussed the need to pause such attacks during a call with Trump. Kyiv has expressed willingness for a partial ceasefire contingent upon an agreed-upon document, but has accused Russia of not adhering to Putin's directive, a claim Moscow disputes.
Peskov stated, "While the Russian side has been sticking to its word, the same cannot be said of the Kyiv regime," referencing the commitment made by the president.
Russia and Ukraine accused each other on Friday of damaging a Russian gas pumping station in a border area from which Ukrainian troops have been withdrawing. On Saturday, Russia asserted its right to a "symmetrical response" to Ukrainian attacks on its energy facilities.
Concerning the potential for another Putin-Trump call if Ukraine breaches the agreement, Peskov said, "Absolutely. The presidents confirmed their intention to continue contacts as necessary."
In a separate clip shared on Zarubin's Telegram channel earlier, Peskov described the latest call between Putin and Trump as "a step towards a face-to-face meeting," adding that upcoming Russia-U.S. talks in Riyadh would similarly serve this purpose.