Speaking at a roundtable with international news agency chiefs on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin acknowledged the complexity of the issue but said, “In my view, a solution could be found.” He noted that Moscow had shared its proposals with Israel, Iran, and the United States.

The offer follows a recent phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, during which Putin first floated the idea. However, Trump struck a dismissive tone on Wednesday, recounting that he told Putin, “Do me a favor, mediate your own,” referring to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. “Vladimir, let’s mediate Russia first. You can worry about this later,” Trump added.

The remarks reflect a shift from Trump’s earlier openness to Putin’s offer. Meanwhile, Putin emphasized Russia’s long-standing relationships with both Iran and Israel, including the construction of Iran’s first nuclear power plant in Bushehr and Moscow’s nuanced diplomacy in the region, which may position Russia as a potential power broker.

Putin’s comments come amid intensifying fighting in Ukraine, where Russia has ramped up its aerial and ground assaults. He has dismissed Trump’s call for a 30-day ceasefire, tying any pause to Ukraine halting its mobilization and Western countries freezing arms supplies.

At the forum, Putin met with several global leaders, including former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, and officials from China, South Africa, Bahrain, and OPEC. On Friday, Putin is expected to make further policy announcements during a high-level panel discussion.

Speaking at a roundtable with international news agency chiefs on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin acknowledged the complexity of the issue but said, “In my view, a solution could be found.” He noted that Moscow had shared its proposals with Israel, Iran, and the United States.

The offer follows a recent phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, during which Putin first floated the idea. However, Trump struck a dismissive tone on Wednesday, recounting that he told Putin, “Do me a favor, mediate your own,” referring to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. “Vladimir, let’s mediate Russia first. You can worry about this later,” Trump added.

The remarks reflect a shift from Trump’s earlier openness to Putin’s offer. Meanwhile, Putin emphasized Russia’s long-standing relationships with both Iran and Israel, including the construction of Iran’s first nuclear power plant in Bushehr and Moscow’s nuanced diplomacy in the region, which may position Russia as a potential power broker.

Putin’s comments come amid intensifying fighting in Ukraine, where Russia has ramped up its aerial and ground assaults. He has dismissed Trump’s call for a 30-day ceasefire, tying any pause to Ukraine halting its mobilization and Western countries freezing arms supplies.

At the forum, Putin met with several global leaders, including former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, and officials from China, South Africa, Bahrain, and OPEC. On Friday, Putin is expected to make further policy announcements during a high-level panel discussion.