Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. The call centered around Putin congratulating Trump on his 80th birthday. Ushakov disclosed the conversation took place but provided no further details regarding the discussion. This contact marks a rare instance of direct communication between the two leaders since the end of Trump’s presidency. The Kremlin has not indicated if any other topics were addressed during the call. The exchange occurred despite ongoing geopolitical tensions between Russia and the United States. It remains unclear how the conversation might impact future relations between the two countries.