Russian President Vladimir Putin abruptly left a public forum in Moscow to take a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump, Rks News reports.
The incident occurred during his address at the “Strong Ideas for a New Time” forum, where Putin apologized to the audience for his sudden departure.
“Please don’t be upset. I understand we could talk more, but it’s awkward to keep him (Trump) waiting—he might take offense,” Putin said before leaving the stage.
This marks the sixth phone call between the two leaders since Trump’s return to the White House, and the fourth in just six weeks.
Despite the frequency of communication, sources close to the Kremlin said the call did not lead to any significant breakthrough, as Moscow remains firm on its objectives in Ukraine.
The two leaders reportedly discussed not only the war in Ukraine, but also rising tensions in the Middle East, the situation in Iran, and broader U.S.-Russia relations.
