Cheyenne Suarez

Trump rebuffs Putin offer to mediate Iran-Israel truce

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

US President Donald Trump appeared Wednesday to rebuff Vladimir Putin&#x27;s offer to mediate in the Israel-Iran conflict, saying the Russian president should end his own war in Ukraine first.&quot;I spoke to him yesterday and... he actually offered to help mediate, I said &#x27;do me a favor, mediate your own,&#x27;&quot; Trump told reporters as he unveiled a giant new flag pole at the White House.&quot;Let&#x27;s mediate Russia first, okay? I said, Vladimir, let&#x27;s mediate Russia first, you can worry about this later.&quot;But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov disputed the timing that Trump gave for the call.&quot;He (Trump) was speaking figuratively. Life is so eventful right now that looking back a few days is like looking back to yesterday,&quot; Peskov told Russian state news agency TASS.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/18/marcos-ph-not-yet-imposing-mandatory-repatriation-for-filipinos-in-israel-iran-1007">Marcos says Philippines &#x27;not yet&#x27; imposing mandatory repatriation for Filipinos in Israel, Iran</a></div>Trump and the Kremlin both previously said on Saturday that the two leaders had spoken that day, with the US president saying Putin had called to wish him a happy 79th birthday.Later on Wednesday, Trump said a change in Iran&#x27;s government &quot;could happen,&quot; and also indicated that negotiations could be on the horizon, without giving details.&quot;They want to meet, they want to come to the White House -- I may do that,&quot; Trump told reporters.Trump meanwhile insisted that the stalled peace talks to end the Ukraine war were &quot;going to work out&quot; despite Moscow stepping up attacks.The US president had vowed to end the war within 24 hours of taking office and made a major pivot towards Putin, but talks have so far made little progress.Trump described the Ukraine war, sparked by Russia&#x27;s invasion of its pro-Western neighbor in 2022, as &quot;so stupid.&quot;<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/6/18/khamenei-vows-iran-will-never-surrender-hypersonic-missiles-target-israel-0658">Khamenei vows Iran will never surrender, hypersonic missiles target Israel</a></div>

US President Donald Trump appeared Wednesday to rebuff Vladimir Putin's offer to mediate in the Israel-Iran conflict, saying the Russian president should end his own war in Ukraine first.

US President Donald Trump appeared Wednesday to rebuff Vladimir Putin's offer to mediate in the Israel-Iran conflict, saying the Russian president should end his own war in Ukraine first.