Russian media outlets are buzzing with optimism following a two-hour phone call between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump on Tuesday, framing the conversation as a diplomatic triumph for the Kremlin. Headlines like “Putin and Trump agreed to work together on Ukraine resolution” from Izvestia and “Record-long Putin-Trump call” by Komsomolskaya Pravda reflect a sense of victory, with the latter asserting, “As things stand, Russia has scored a diplomatic victory here.”
The call, the second publicly acknowledged interaction between the two leaders since Trump’s second term began in January, was intended to push for a ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. However, Putin’s refusal to accept Trump’s proposed unconditional 30-day ceasefire—previously agreed to by Ukraine—has left Moscow feeling emboldened. Instead of facing pressure, Putin laid out his own stringent conditions for peace, including a complete halt to Western military aid and intelligence support to Kyiv, as well as an end to Ukraine’s mobilization efforts. These demands, widely seen as a blueprint for Ukraine’s capitulation, were met with praise rather than pushback from the U.S. administration.
Trump described the call as “great” in an interview with Fox News, while his envoy, Steve Witkoff, commended Putin for moving “his country close to a final peace deal.” This response has fueled perceptions in Russia that the U.S. is unwilling to exert significant pressure on Moscow, a stark contrast to the tougher sanctions and penalties some expected. The Kremlin’s readout of the call emphasized broader goals, such as improving U.S.-Russia relations through economic cooperation, with Putin dangling prospects like joint aluminium production and rare minerals mining—sectors where Russia holds significant leverage.
Trump appeared receptive, noting in the same Fox News interview, “We’d like to have more trade with Russia. They have some very valuable things for us, including rare earth. They have a big chunk of real estate, the biggest in the world. They have things that we could use.” This openness has led to speculation in Russia, as Izvestia put it, that Moscow aims to make economic ties with the U.S. “so profitable that severing them would be too costly for the United States.” The Kremlin seems to be betting that Trump will prioritize these potential gains over securing a fair deal for Ukraine.
The call’s outcome has raised questions about the U.S.’s commitment to Ukraine’s position. After Ukraine agreed to the unconditional ceasefire last week, the U.S. had declared the “ball is in [Russia’s] court.” Putin’s rejection of the deal and his counterconditions have now shifted the pressure back to Washington. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has scheduled a follow-up call with Trump, has expressed skepticism, accusing Russia of continuing attacks on energy infrastructure despite Putin’s limited concession to pause such strikes for 30 days—a move that also benefits Russia by protecting its own energy systems from Ukrainian retaliation.
As negotiations between the U.S. and Russia continue, the Kremlin’s strategy appears to hinge on leveraging economic incentives to sway Trump, potentially at Ukraine’s expense. Whether this approach will lead to a broader ceasefire or a permanent resolution remains uncertain, but for now, Russia is celebrating what it sees as a diplomatic upper hand in the ongoing conflict.