The long-awaited conversation between Trump and Putin ends without progress

US President Donald Trump has held an unusual and lengthy telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in an attempt to end the war in Ukraine. Despite the friendly tone and public statements full of mutual praise, the conversation did not produce any significant progress towards peace.


Trump, who has maintained that the only realistic way to resolve the conflict is through direct dialogue with Putin, described the call as an exchange with an ‘excellent tone and spirit.’ On his Truth Social network, he added that Russia showed interest in ‘large-scale trade’ with the United States once what he called ‘this catastrophic massacre’ is over. However, in concrete terms, he agreed to postpone any ceasefire until after further negotiations, a concession seen by many as an indirect concession to the Russian position.

Putin, for his part, publicly praised the call as ‘significant and quite frank’, and thanked Trump for his push for negotiations. Even so, he did not offer clear support for the proposed ceasefire, stating only that “the main thing for us is to eliminate the root causes of the conflict”. These statements indicate that the Kremlin remains firm in its demands, including a further ceding of Ukrainian territory, a red line for Kiev.

On the other hand, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed to have spoken to Trump twice on Monday: once before the call with Putin, and once during a video conference with NATO leaders. In his words, he reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to implement ‘a full and unconditional ceasefire’. However, Russia's refusal to stop the attacks - including recent drone bombings of Ukrainian territory - reinforces the perception that Moscow still does not want to stop the war.

Zelensky also said on social media that if Russia does not back down, tougher sanctions should be imposed on Moscow. ‘Pressuring Russia will push it towards true peace; this is obvious to everyone,’ he explained.

The Vatican, at the suggestion of the new Pope Leo XIV, has emerged as a possible venue for future peace talks. Trump backed this option, as did the Italian government. Monday's call comes after direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul last week, where a prisoner exchange — 1,000 on each side — was agreed but no truce was reached.

International pressure is also mounting. Leaders from France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy spoke with Trump on Sunday, urging Putin to ‘take seriously’ the peace talks.

French President Emmanuel Macron called on Russia to accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire ‘tomorrow,’ while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who has threatened further sanctions against Russia, reiterated the European Union's support for Zelensky ‘to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine.’


Amid this situation, Trump has been criticised for his stance, which is considered complacent towards Putin. While demanding sacrifices from Ukraine, he appears to be offering implicit concessions to Moscow. In this regard, US Vice President J. D. Vance expressed his frustration with the pace of negotiations, recalling that Russia continues to demand that Ukraine hand over more territory, a condition that blocks any possible agreement.

Meanwhile, the violence continues. On Sunday, Russia bombed residential areas in Kherson, killing a 75-year-old woman and injuring two other people, according to reports from the local city council.


More than three years after the start of Russia's large-scale invasion, the war in Ukraine remains without a clear horizon for peace. Although the call between Trump and Putin may mark a symbolic turning point, the lack of tangible results and Moscow's firmness in its demands remain major obstacles to achieving peace.