Bangladesh, May 20 -- In a landmark diplomatic development, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke for over two hours in a phone call on May 19, focusing on the war in Ukraine and prospects for a ceasefire. The call, initiated by Trump, was hailed by both Washington and Moscow as a potentially pivotal step toward de-escalating a conflict that has ravaged Eastern Europe for more than three years.

The conversation, announced by Trump two days earlier, was described by Kremlin officials as “important” and rooted in the recent Turkish-mediated peace discussions between Moscow and Kyiv. According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, the dialogue was aimed at revitalizing direct channels between Russ...