US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke for nearly an hour on Thursday, but made “no progress” on ending the war in Ukraine, according to Trump, while the Kremlin reiterated its demand that the West address the “root causes” of the conflict—chiefly NATO expansion and U.S. weapons support to Kyiv.
🚨 No Breakthrough in Diplomatic Push
“I didn’t make any progress with him at all,” Trump told reporters before departing for Iowa.
- The two leaders did not discuss the recent pause in U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine.
- According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, Putin repeated that Russia will continue military operations until its core geopolitical concerns are addressed.
💣 Attacks Resume Amid Stalemate
Just hours after the call:
- Russian drone strikes hit Kyiv suburbs, sparking fires and explosions.
- In eastern Ukraine, five civilians were killed by Russian shelling.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he plans to speak with Trump about the paused weapons deliveries, particularly Patriot missiles.
🇺🇸 U.S. Weapons Freeze: Confusion & Fallout
- The U.S. has paused deliveries of critical weapons, including Patriot missile systems, due to low domestic stockpiles, sources told Reuters.
- Trump defended the move, saying: “Biden emptied out our whole country giving them weapons. We have to make sure we have enough for ourselves.”
📉 Pentagon officials warn the pause could reduce Ukraine’s ability to counter ballistic missiles amid a Russian summer offensive.
🧭 Russia Signals No Interest in Trilateral Talks
- Ushakov emphasized that peace talks must happen directly between Moscow and Kyiv, rejecting trilateral formats.
- Ukrainian sources claim Russian diplomats asked U.S. representatives to leave the room during early June discussions in Istanbul.
🤝 No plans for a face-to-face Trump-Putin summit were discussed during the call, Ushakov added.
Bottom Line:
Despite growing urgency on the battlefield and in diplomatic channels, Trump and Putin’s latest conversation ended in stalemate, with both sides digging into hardened positions. The pause in U.S. military aid has created uncertainty in Kyiv, and Russia appears unwilling to entertain multilateral peace efforts. The war grinds on.