ANKARA

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday that the recent phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump represents a shift toward prioritizing peace in Moscow-Washington relations, according to the Russian state news agency.

"They send a powerful message that from now on, we will try to solve problems through dialogue. And from now on, we will talk about peace, not war," TASS quoted Peskov as saying in an interview with television host Pavel Zarubin.

Peskov emphasized that Trump's perspective should be well-received by any rational person, saying, "Russia completely lacked communication with the previous US administration."

The statement follows a phone call between Putin and Trump on Feb. 12, during which they discussed efforts to end hostilities in Ukraine, bilateral relations, and other key topics.

Both leaders agreed to stay in touch and arrange an in-person meeting.