Russian President Vladimir Putin does not plan to speak by phone with President Donald Trump on Tuesday, Putin's 73rd birthday, according to Kremlin officials.
"To be honest, there are no plans [for a phone call with Trump]," presidential foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters, responding to questions about a potential conversation between the two leaders.
Ushakov added Putin had received a "stream of congratulatory calls" from foreign leaders and colleagues marking the occasion.
The Kremlin has not disclosed which leaders contacted Putin, but the comments underscore tensions between Moscow and Trump since the Aug. 15 summit in Alaska failed to render a ceasefire as Trump sought.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised Putin's leadership earlier, saying "it is difficult to overestimate the role" he has played in shaping both Russia's trajectory and global affairs.
Notably, Trump teased news that the U.S. will be selling Tomahawk cruise missiles to NATO for potential deployment to Ukraine amid the stalled peace talks.
Trump said Monday he has "sort of" made a decision on whether to supply Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine or NATO allies but signaled caution, stressing he wanted more information before proceeding.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he intends to learn "what they're doing with them" before finalizing any decision, adding that his goal is to avoid escalating the conflict.
Washington is carefully weighing a significant step in military support as Kyiv continues its defense against Russia, but Trump's emphasis on oversight reflects concerns about how advanced U.S. weaponry might be used once transferred.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked the U.S. to sell Tomahawks to European nations that would send them to Ukraine.
Tomahawk missiles have a range of 1,550 miles, putting Moscow in the range of Ukraine's arsenal, were Kyiv to be granted them.
Putin said in a video clip released Sunday that if Washington supplied Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine for long-range strikes deep into Russia, it would lead to the destruction of Moscow's relationship with Washington.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.