Putin also emphasized the need to resolve the situation around Iran and in the broader Middle East “exclusively by political and diplomatic means,” the Kremlin aid said.

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are to hold a phone call on Thursday as the White House pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine. Mr Trump announced the call on Truth Social, saying: "Will be speaking to President Putin of Russia at 10:00 A.M. Thank you!"

The world leaders spoke on the phone for the sixth time since Trump's return to presidency as the topics of Ukraine and Iran were high up on the agenda