Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Sunday that he could “neither confirm nor deny” reports of a conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump regarding Ukraine.

“As the administration in Washington unfolds its work, there are many different communications. And these communications are carried out through different channels,” Peskov said, as quoted by TASS news agency.

“Given the multiplicity of these communications, I personally may not know something or be aware of something. Therefore, in this case, I can neither confirm nor deny it,” he added.

Reports of Trump-Putin talks

The New York Post earlier reported that Trump claimed he had spoken with Putin by phone to discuss a possible settlement of the conflict in Ukraine.

Trump, who has repeatedly promised to end the war in Ukraine but has not publicly outlined his plan, described the conflict as a “bloodbath” and said his team had engaged in “some very good talks.”

In an interview aboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump was asked how many times he had spoken with Putin. He responded, “Better not say.”

“He (Putin) wants to see people stop dying,” Trump told the New York Post.

The White House did not comment on the matter outside regular business hours.

Background on the Ukraine conflict

The war in eastern Ukraine began in 2014 after Ukraine’s pro-Russian president was ousted during the Maidan Revolution, leading to Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Russian-backed separatist forces then clashed with Ukrainian troops.

In 2022, Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, calling it a “special military operation” to protect Russian speakers and counter what he claimed was a security threat posed by Ukraine’s potential NATO membership.

Ukraine and its Western allies, led by the United States, condemned the invasion as an attempt at territorial expansion and vowed to push back Russian forces.

Moscow currently controls an area of Ukraine roughly the size of the US state of Virginia and is advancing at its fastest pace since the early days of the war.

Trump’s approach to ending the war

Trump, who has frequently spoken about his negotiation skills, has stated that he wants to end the war and is willing to meet with Putin to discuss a resolution. However, no date or location for such a meeting has been announced.

On June 14, Putin outlined his conditions for an immediate ceasefire, which included Ukraine dropping its NATO ambitions and withdrawing troops from four regions that Russia claims and mostly controls.

Reports in November suggested that Putin was open to discussing a peace deal with Trump but was unwilling to make significant territorial concessions. He also insisted that Ukraine abandon its NATO aspirations.

The Kremlin has repeatedly advised caution regarding speculation about discussions between Trump’s team and Russian officials.

Putin’s last known conversation with former US President Joe Biden took place in February 2022, shortly before the full-scale invasion. The two leaders spoke for about an hour, according to the Kremlin.

Trump’s upcoming meeting with Zelensky

On Friday, Trump stated that he would likely meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky next week to discuss efforts to end the war.

Trump told the New York Post that he has “always had a good relationship with Putin” and has a concrete plan to bring the conflict to an end, though he did not provide specific details.

“I hope it’s fast,” Trump said.

“Every day, people are dying. This war is so bad in Ukraine. I want to end this damn thing.”