Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the initiative for the phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U. S. President Donald Trump came from the Russian side.

According to Peskov, the call between the Kremlin and the White House was proposed in connection with President Trump’s successful trip to the Middle East. He explained that the idea originated in Moscow following Trump’s visit, as President Putin wanted to personally congratulate him on its success. This, Peskov said, was the main reason behind initiating the conversation.

The phone call, which took place on October 16, was the eighth and longest exchange between the two leaders, lasting about two and a half hours. Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov reported that Putin and Trump discussed bilateral cooperation and the possibility of a new meeting, which is expected to take place in Budapest, the capital of Hungary.

A significant part of the discussion was devoted to the Ukrainian conflict. During the conversation, Putin reaffirmed Moscow’s commitment to a diplomatic solution to the crisis and provided a detailed assessment of the current situation. The two leaders also touched on the possible transfer of U. S. Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine. Putin stressed that such a move would not change the situation on the battlefield but would cause irreparable damage to relations between Moscow and Washington.

For his part, Trump repeatedly emphasized the need for a swift restoration of peace in Ukraine, noting that ending the conflict would open up enormous prospects for economic cooperation between Russia and the United States.