Peace in Ukraine Further Away After Trump-Putin Call

The highly anticipated phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin has done little to bring peace to Ukraine, instead highlighting the vast differences between the two leaders’ stances on the conflict. According to Kremlin presidential aide Yury Ushakov, the 90-minute call was marked by a rare duration, with neither president wanting to end the conversation.

Trump’s assertion that Ukraine and Russia would now hold talks “as only they can” on a ceasefire and ultimately an end to the war while fighting rages on has been seen as siding with Russia. Ukraine and its European partners are pushing for a 30-day ceasefire to allow time for talks on a permanent peace agreement, but Moscow has refused, insisting on talks now on a final deal.

The call has raised questions about Trump’s level of involvement in ending the war and widened transatlantic divisions. “It feels to me that the president maybe didn’t really try to pressure Putin at all,” said Beth Sanner, a former deputy director of national intelligence. “This is a call that I think it’s really hard to see this in any other way than Putin seemed to get exactly what he wanted.”

Trump’s threat to walk away from the peace process if there’s no progress has also sparked concerns. “I tell you, big egos involved, but I think something’s going to happen. And if it doesn’t, I just back away and they’re going to have to keep going,” Trump told reporters. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky contradicted Trump’s formula, calling for stronger sanctions on Russia if it is unwilling to stop killing Ukrainians.

Zelensky emphasized the importance of US involvement in the peace process, stating, “It is crucial for all of us that the United States does not distance itself from the talks and the pursuit of peace, because the only one who benefits from that is Putin.” Trump, on the other hand, suggested that the Vatican and the new American Pope Leo might get involved in the peace talks.

The Russian leader’s demands remain maximalist, with Putin stressing that the war’s “root causes” must be addressed, including specious claims that Ukraine needs to be “de-Nazified” and severe restrictions imposed on its sovereignty. Trump’s efforts have been described as superficial compared to historical US peace drives.

In the words of Zelensky, “This is a defining moment. The world can now see whether its leaders are truly capable of securing a ceasefire and achieving real, lasting peace.” Trump’s claim that Putin wants to end the war soon is met with skepticism, given Russia’s ongoing offensives and demands. As Trump said, “My whole life is like deals – one big deal,” but his efforts so far have been desultory, with combat in Ukraine and Gaza intensifying since he took office.