US President Donald Trump ’s much-hyped phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin was supposed to pave the way toward peace in Ukraine. Instead, it became a showcase of Trump’s signature diplomatic pattern: Bold declarations, minimal follow-through, and a retreat that benefits America’s rivals.
After 120 minutes on the line with Putin, Trump announced Russia and Ukraine would “immediately start negotiations” - but omitted any commitment to sanctions, timelines, or US leadership in the talks. Europe is alarmed. Kyiv feels abandoned. And Putin, critics say, walked away with another win.
Why it matters
Trump’s post-call statement highlighted an “immediate” start to ceasefire negotiations - but Russia has offered no timetable, no truce, and no verified pullback. Instead, Putin agreed to “work on a memorandum” with Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russian forces continued advancing on the ground and fired over 100 drones at Ukrainian targets overnight.
European leaders were quick to express disappointment. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wrote on X that Europe will press ahead with new sanctions regardless of Washington’s stance. French and Finnish officials echoed that message.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy , who spoke with Trump both before and after the Putin call, pleaded for tougher US pressure. Instead, Trump called the Ukrainian president “not the easiest person to deal with” and warned that the US might simply “back away” if talks fail.
What they’re saying
The immediate aftermath of the Trump-Putin call paints a grim picture for those hoping for US leadership on Ukraine:
The Kremlin welcomed Trump’s willingness to defer to bilateral talks between Kyiv and Moscow - a move critics say plays into Putin’s hands.
Russia continues to reject a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, even as Ukraine backs it.
Putin said compromises would still be required - signaling no shift from Moscow’s hardline demands, which include Ukrainian troop withdrawals from Russian-occupied regions.
What's next
Trump floated the idea of the Vatican - and newly elevated Pope Leo XIV - hosting future talks. But no summit is scheduled. Russia rejected Trump’s earlier proposal for face-to-face talks with Zelenskyy in Istanbul, sending only low-level envoys.
“Ukraine doesn’t need to be persuaded - our representatives are ready to make real decisions,” Zelenskyy said. “What’s needed is mirrored readiness from Russia.”
Still, Trump offered a potential trade carrot to Moscow: “There is a tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth… when this catastrophic ‘bloodbath’ is over.” It’s a signal that Trump’s preferred tools are incentives, not penalties - a replay of his China playbook.
Between the lines
Trump’s approach is rooted in a personalist model of diplomacy: face-to-face meetings, leader-to-leader phone calls, and backroom deals. But critics say that formula - which failed with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Trump's first term and has now been tested with Xi and Putin - delivers more symbolism than substance.
Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt posted on X that the call with Trump was "undoubtedly a win for Putin." He noted that the Russian president "deflected the call for an ... immediate ceasefire and instead can continue military operations at the same time as he puts pressure on at the negotiating table."
Europe’s top fear: That Trump is becoming what Putin wants most - a disengaged superpower president who refuses to act, and lets others fill the void.
What Bloomberg Economics says:
“Despite President Donald Trump’s description of having an ‘excellent’ conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, the call yielded no apparent breakthrough,” wrote Alex Kokcharov. “This may be a continued effort to delay talks while Russian forces gain more ground.”
Playbook to counter Trump?
Two models have emerged: Xi’s defiance and Putin’s delay.
China resisted tariffs and refused to make immediate concessions. Trump eventually backed down and granted partial relief.
Putin offered flattery and delay, avoiding escalation while gaining time and credibility from Trump’s overtures.
Both tactics show that countries that resist or stall Trump - rather than appease him - tend to extract better deals. Trump, averse to prolonged conflict and enamored with quick wins, appears to reward toughness over compliance.
The bottom line
Trump’s retreat from Ukraine diplomacy leaves allies scrambling, adversaries smiling, and peace as elusive as ever. The US still holds leverage - sanctions, weapons, global influence - but Trump’s reluctance to use it may be the most powerful message of all.
“Standing up to Trump doesn’t guarantee you win,” one European diplomat said. “But giving in? That guarantees you lose.”
(With inputs from agencies)
After 120 minutes on the line with Putin, Trump announced Russia and Ukraine would “immediately start negotiations” - but omitted any commitment to sanctions, timelines, or US leadership in the talks. Europe is alarmed. Kyiv feels abandoned. And Putin, critics say, walked away with another win.
Why it matters
- Trump campaigned in 2024 on ending the Ukraine war “in 24 hours.” But nearly five months into his second term, his approach increasingly looks like strategic disengagement masked as dealmaking.
- “Today, it feels like we are back into a much longer-term scenario, in which Putin is buying himself and his military more time. Putin won himself more opportunities, and a ceasefire and a resolution seem ever further away,” Kristine Berzina, managing director at the German Marshall Fund, told Bloomberg.
- The message to adversaries from Beijing to Moscow? Trump prefers the optics of diplomacy to the cost of confrontation. Just as Chinese President Xi Jinping faced down Trump in a trade war and walked away with major tariff reductions, Putin now appears to have coaxed Trump into stepping back without real concessions.
- From China to Russia: What happened with Putin isn’t unique. Trump’s handling of Xi Jinping’s China followed the same blueprint. To begin with, Trump raised tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%, threatening global decoupling. China retaliated. Trump blinked. The US quietly backed down, agreeing to slash tariffs to 30% in exchange for little more than “ongoing discussions.”
Trump’s post-call statement highlighted an “immediate” start to ceasefire negotiations - but Russia has offered no timetable, no truce, and no verified pullback. Instead, Putin agreed to “work on a memorandum” with Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russian forces continued advancing on the ground and fired over 100 drones at Ukrainian targets overnight.
European leaders were quick to express disappointment. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wrote on X that Europe will press ahead with new sanctions regardless of Washington’s stance. French and Finnish officials echoed that message.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy , who spoke with Trump both before and after the Putin call, pleaded for tougher US pressure. Instead, Trump called the Ukrainian president “not the easiest person to deal with” and warned that the US might simply “back away” if talks fail.
What they’re saying
- “I believe it went very well,” Trump said after the call. “If I thought President Putin didn’t want to get this over with, I wouldn’t even be talking about it.”
- “This is not my war,” Trump added, signaling frustration with the long conflict and repeating his view that the crisis should have remained “a European situation.”
- “Trump said, ‘Vladimir, you can pick up the phone at any time,’” according to Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov. “The conversation was friendly.”
- “Russia publicly welcomes US efforts to avoid irritating the US government, but sticks firmly to its original position,” said Maria Snegovaya, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
- “Trump has made it clear he doesn’t want to impose more sanctions,” said a European official who participated in a group call with Trump after the Putin conversation. “This undermines the pressure we’re trying to keep on Moscow.”
The immediate aftermath of the Trump-Putin call paints a grim picture for those hoping for US leadership on Ukraine:
The Kremlin welcomed Trump’s willingness to defer to bilateral talks between Kyiv and Moscow - a move critics say plays into Putin’s hands.
Russia continues to reject a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, even as Ukraine backs it.
Putin said compromises would still be required - signaling no shift from Moscow’s hardline demands, which include Ukrainian troop withdrawals from Russian-occupied regions.
What's next
Trump floated the idea of the Vatican - and newly elevated Pope Leo XIV - hosting future talks. But no summit is scheduled. Russia rejected Trump’s earlier proposal for face-to-face talks with Zelenskyy in Istanbul, sending only low-level envoys.
“Ukraine doesn’t need to be persuaded - our representatives are ready to make real decisions,” Zelenskyy said. “What’s needed is mirrored readiness from Russia.”
Still, Trump offered a potential trade carrot to Moscow: “There is a tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth… when this catastrophic ‘bloodbath’ is over.” It’s a signal that Trump’s preferred tools are incentives, not penalties - a replay of his China playbook.
Between the lines
Trump’s approach is rooted in a personalist model of diplomacy: face-to-face meetings, leader-to-leader phone calls, and backroom deals. But critics say that formula - which failed with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Trump's first term and has now been tested with Xi and Putin - delivers more symbolism than substance.
Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt posted on X that the call with Trump was "undoubtedly a win for Putin." He noted that the Russian president "deflected the call for an ... immediate ceasefire and instead can continue military operations at the same time as he puts pressure on at the negotiating table."
Europe’s top fear: That Trump is becoming what Putin wants most - a disengaged superpower president who refuses to act, and lets others fill the void.
What Bloomberg Economics says:
“Despite President Donald Trump’s description of having an ‘excellent’ conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, the call yielded no apparent breakthrough,” wrote Alex Kokcharov. “This may be a continued effort to delay talks while Russian forces gain more ground.”
Playbook to counter Trump?
Two models have emerged: Xi’s defiance and Putin’s delay.
China resisted tariffs and refused to make immediate concessions. Trump eventually backed down and granted partial relief.
Putin offered flattery and delay, avoiding escalation while gaining time and credibility from Trump’s overtures.
Both tactics show that countries that resist or stall Trump - rather than appease him - tend to extract better deals. Trump, averse to prolonged conflict and enamored with quick wins, appears to reward toughness over compliance.
The bottom line
Trump’s retreat from Ukraine diplomacy leaves allies scrambling, adversaries smiling, and peace as elusive as ever. The US still holds leverage - sanctions, weapons, global influence - but Trump’s reluctance to use it may be the most powerful message of all.
“Standing up to Trump doesn’t guarantee you win,” one European diplomat said. “But giving in? That guarantees you lose.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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