MOSCOW − Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to Donald Trump for 50 minutes on June 14, condemning the Israeli military operation against Iran and expressing concern about the risks of escalation, the Kremlin said.

Trump swept into office hoping to be a peacemaker. Five months in, a new conflict is roiling the Middle East, with no end in sight to the war in Ukraine.

Israel's latest action pits traditional Republican support for Israel — and antipathy toward Iran — against the MAGA base's fear that the U.S. will be drawn into a new foreign war.