Trump-Putin call yields no breakthrough as Russia continues to undermine peace

A two-hour phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin has ended with no signs of substantive progress toward ending the war in .

State media reported that the Russian leader described the conversation as “informative, frank and very useful,” but no concrete agreements or breakthroughs were achieved. Instead, both sides reiterated familiar positions, while Moscow continued to stall formal negotiations.

According to the Kremlin’s news agencies, Putin told Trump that “a ceasefire… is possible if appropriate agreements are reached,” and said was prepared to work with Kyiv on a memorandum for a future peace treaty. “We just need to identify the most effective ways of moving toward peace,” Putin said.

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Trump reportedly said Russia “favours a peaceful resolution” to the war, according to the Tass news agency. However, the comments stand in sharp contrast to Russia’s actions on the battlefield and its broader demands.

Putin, as quoted by Interfax, repeated that the “root causes” of the conflict must be eliminated - language long used by the Kremlin to signal its intent to remove Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, install a pro-Russian regime, and annexe five Ukrainian regions in violation of international law.

European officials and the Ukrainian government have previously rejected any US-brokered peace plan that appears to favour Russia or legitimise its territorial claims.

Zelenskyy has insisted that any ceasefire must include the full withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory and a return to internationally recognised borders.

Before the call, the Kremlin had lowered expectations of what could be achieved. Dmitri Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, said that ending the Ukraine war would require “rather painstaking and, perhaps, prolonged work.”

In recent days, Trump has expressed frustration over the state of negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. The US leader said last week he believes only he alone can advance the stalled peace talks, hence why he arranged a phone call to speak directly with Putin.

The conversation came less than a week after the Russian leader refused to attend peace talks in Ankara that the despot had initiated. He had earlier said he would be willing to meet face-to-face with Ukrainian President , but failed to show up, further straining already limited diplomatic momentum.

Zelensky called Moscow's absence from Ankara a "clear sign" that Putin is uninterested in genuine negotiations. "There was a chair at the table for Russia. They chose to leave it empty," he said during a press briefing in Kyiv.

Trump's call with Putin comes amid mounting criticism that Washington's proposals heavily favour Moscow and have so far failed to produce any meaningful progress. The call came four months after Trump returned to office, promising swift action to end the three-year war. "If I'm elected, I will have that war settled in 24 hours," he repeatedly boasted on the campaign trail.

But since taking office on January 20, his administration has struggled to turn his boasts into battlefield results. Multiple proposals have been floated behind closed doors, but none have been accepted by Ukraine or its European allies. Instead, US proposals appear to reflect a significant shift in posture - one that many in Kyiv and across European capitals say amounts to rewarding Russian aggression.

Draft frameworks reportedly considered by the Trump administration would allow Russia to retain control of occupied territories in eastern Ukraine and Crimea in exchange for a ceasefire and vague promises of future negotiations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly rejected such terms, stating they would "legitimise occupation and betrayal."

In Kyiv, Zelensky warned that "peace without justice is just surrender". European officials, too, have expressed alarm. France, Germany, and the UK have indicated that they will not support any agreement that compromises Ukraine's territorial integrity.

One senior EU diplomat said the US approach "looks more like appeasement than diplomacy" and "risks fracturing the transatlantic alliance." Putin, meanwhile, has shown little interest in compromise. The Russian president has continued military operations in eastern Ukraine and shown no willingness to withdraw forces.

Analysts say the Kremlin is likely using the talks as a diplomatic smokescreen while preparing for further offensives. For now, the Trump administration insists it remains committed to ending the war, but with few tangible results, critics argue that the president's approach has emboldened Russia rather than curbed it.

With Ukrainian troops still fighting along the eastern front and Trump's credibility on the line, the stakes in the conflict remain as high as ever.

Trump's call with Putin came as it emerged that the President has invited Pope Leo XIV to the White House. The invitation to the first American pontiff was delivered today in a letter via Vice President JD Vance, who attended the pope’s first Mass on Sunday and later met with the pontiff.

“The vice president passed along a letter to the Pope from the president and from the first lady, extending their warm wishes and inviting them to the White House as soon as they possibly can come,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.