Trump says he prefers Russia's help to end Ukraine conflict over their offer to help with Iran war

President Donald Trump said his call Wednesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin included an offer for Russia to help with the conflict in Iran and the enrichment of uranium, which he declined in hopes of getting the war in Ukraine to end instead.

The president expressed confidence that a resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war could come “relatively quickly” after the call or that a ceasefire could take place while Russia hosts its Victory Day celebrations on May 9. 

“I think he’d like to see a solution,” Trump told reporters at the White House after welcoming the four Artemis II astronauts. “I can tell you. And that’s good ... I suggested a little bit of a ceasefire, and I think he might do that. He might announce something having to do with it.”

Putin is already expected to scale back Russia's annual Victory Day parade this year by canceling its tanks that normally roll through Moscow’s Red Square, according to Politico.

Trump also said Russia wants to help with the Iran conflict but that he declined the assistance in favor of Russia focusing on ending its four-year-long war with Ukraine.

“He told me he’d like to be involved with the enrichment if he can help us get it,” Trump told reporters. “I said, I’d much rather have you be involved with ending the war with Ukraine. To me, that would be more important.”

The president also hinted that the Iran conflict could wind down “on a similar timetable” as Russia’s war, but that peace negotiations are continuing for now, with the U.S. remaining insistent on Iran giving up its nuclear weapons ambitions.

“They’ve come a long way,” Trump said of the Iranians. “The question is whether or not they’re going to go far enough. So at this moment, there will never be a deal unless they agree that there will be no nuclear weapons.”

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.