ST. PETERSBURG, June 6. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday his telephone conversation with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, in early May inspired certain optimism in what concerned issues of control over strategic armaments.

"Anyhow, my latest conversation with President Trump inspires certain optimism, I would say, because Donald told me he was concerned over that as well. He said he understood how much money the United States and other world nations spend on arms and this money could be used for other purposes. I share this point of view," Putin said at a meeting with CEOs of world news agencies that was organized by TASS.