Live: Putin and Zelensky speak to Trump ahead of NATO summit in Turkey

One person killed in the border Bryansk region and another in Russian-annexed Crimea.

Moscow said one person was killed in the border Bryansk region and another in Russian-annexed Crimea.  

Authorities in the border Belgorod region said «infrastructure facilities» had been damaged by the attacks, leading to «disruptions to electricity and water supply». 

Trump offers to help Putin find deal with Ukraine, also speaks with Zelensky

US President Donald Trump, speaking to Russian leader Vladimir Putin by telephone for nearly 90 minutes, offered to help find a solution to the Ukraine war, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said in comments ​made public ‌early on Sunday.

Ushakov said Trump made the offer during the call on Saturday, US ⁠Independence Day, in the context of his participation next week at the NATO summit in Turkey.

«The American ‌president once again confirmed his readiness to work towards a rapid end to the fighting ⁠and find solutions to overcome the crisis,» Ushakov said of Trump’s call with the Russian president.

Ushakov, who described the conversation as «business-like and quite constructive,» said Russia sought «a political-diplomatic resolution of the conflict, with ​due account of Russia’s fundamental approach.»

Negotiations are at the moment at an impasse, with Moscow demanding the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the entire Donetsk region – a demand Kyiv rejects. 

Ukraine’s Zelensky says he spoke to Trump, calls for ‘American resolve’ to help end war

⁠Ukrainian ⁠President Volodymyr ​Zelensky said on Saturday ​that he had spoken to US President Donald Trump ​on ‌the Fourth ⁠of July holiday and ‌called for «American resolve» to help ⁠end the more than four-year-old war with Russia.

Zelenskiy ​said he ‌had a «very good» conversation with Trump, discussing the situation ‌on the front line.

«There ​is a real prospect to end this war ​and American resolve will ​have a crucial ​meaning,» he said.

Zelenskiy said ​he and Trump had agreed to «continue our conversation» at next week’s NATO ⁠summit in Turkey.

Ukraine denies Moscow claim of seizing strategic stronghold

Ukraine denied Saturday Moscow’s announcement that Russian forces had captured the strategic Ukrainian city of Kostyantynivka, a stronghold for Kyiv’s troops in the eastern Donetsk region and a key target for the Kremlin. 

A Ukrainian army spokesman told AFP the city remained under its control, while President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Moscow’s announcement as «a lie», with the duelling claims coming after Russia also said Ukrainian drones had struck its second city, St Petersburg.

«The situation remains difficult,» Ukrainian army spokesman Andriy Kovalyov told AFP, but Kostyantynivka «is under the control of the Ukrainian Defence Forces».