Putin, Trump hold 90-minute call; discuss White House shooting, Iran war

During his phone call with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin condemned the recent shooting at a White House Correspondents' Association dinner and discussed the United States's ongoing war with Iran.

In Short

• Putin condemned attack attempt on Trump at White House event
• Appreciated Trump's decision to extend ceasefire deal with Iran
• Trump conveyed optimism about deal to resolve ongoing conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his United States counterpart Donald Trump spoke for over 90 minutes in a phone call described by the Kremlin as "friendly and businesslike", covering a range of global flashpoints including the Iran war, Ukraine conflict and a recent shooting at a White House-linked event.

According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, Putin condemned the attempted attack targeting Trump during a high-profile Washington event and expressed support following the incident.

The Russian leader also backed Trump's decision to extend a ceasefire arrangement involving Iran, while the two discussed broader developments around Tehran's nuclear programme.

Ushakov said Putin also shared specific proposals on Iran during the call.

On Ukraine, the Kremlin said Trump conveyed optimism about a possible deal to resolve the ongoing conflict, suggesting an agreement could be “close”. Putin, however, accused Ukraine of resorting to what he described as "terrorist methods" and reiterated Moscow's position.

He also proposed a ceasefire during upcoming Victory Day commemorations in May, a suggestion that Trump reportedly reacted to positively.

The conversation also touched on the potential for future economic and energy cooperation between the two countries, indicating an effort to keep strategic channels open despite tensions.

WHITE HOUSE EVENT SHOOTING

The telephonic conversation between Putin and Trump came days after a dramatic security breach at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner attended by the US President himself. Authorities said a 31-year-old man, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, attempted to storm the gala dinner armed with guns and knives.

The incident triggered chaos at the venue, with shots fired as security intervened. Trump was quickly escorted off the stage while attendees took cover under tables. Allen was later taken into custody and is facing federal charges.

Officials said the suspect had travelled across multiple states before arriving in Washington and managed to check into the hotel hosting the tightly secured event, raising serious questions about security protocols.

US-IRAN WAR

The war was triggered on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with several senior military commanders. Iran's retaliation widened the confrontation, pulling the wider Gulf region into the conflict.

More than five weeks of sustained bombardment by US and Israeli forces have targeted thousands of industrial units, inflicting heavy damage on Iran’s manufacturing base. The economic fallout is deepening, with fears of large-scale job losses mounting as inflation surges across the country.

Last week, Trump extended an existing two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely, allowing Tehran additional time to formulate a consolidated proposal aimed at ending the war. The decision came just hours before the truce was due to lapse.

Earlier diplomatic efforts have yielded little progress. The first round of talks between Iran and the United States, held in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, concluded without any breakthrough.

- Ends