Former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin pictured before one of their attempts at bilateral dialog. In their opening remarks, they focused on Russia’s brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. After all their talk, the leaders failed to reach a breakthrough agreement on a lasting ceasefire. The discussion mainly focused on what future routes to peace might look like, with each leader stating their needs and views of the ongoing battle.
Yet, on the eve of that call, President Putin had reaffirmed his desire to work towards tackling the “root causes” of the conflict. He articulated a need for a clear framework in future negotiations, stating, “We just need to determine the most effective ways to move towards peace.” His remarks indicate ongoing efforts to lay the groundwork for more basic understandings before any formal ceasefire is possible.
Trump suggested that the Vatican might host a neutral ground for future talks between Russia and Ukraine. He expressed confidence that direct talks would soon occur between the two nations, asserting, “They know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of.” This statement is a testament to his faith in the special knowledge possessed by each side that could help them move forward.
Limited Progress from Recent Talks
Last week, government representatives from both Russia and Ukraine took part in their first direct negotiations since 2022 – held in Türkiye. Although these talks resulted in a US-Iran prisoner-swap agreement, major progress on larger issues has so far proved just out of reach. Trump has persistently pressed Putin to accept a deal. He’s even pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to pull the same stunt.
Moments after his controversial call with Putin, Trump called Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy in fact had recently agreed to a US offer of a 30-day ceasefire, forced by stem Trump’s pressure. This multi-faceted approach mirrors Trump’s establishment of a quick and continuing end to the conflict as the primary devotion during the entirety of his presidential campaign.
It was Putin’s last outrageous call that should be the most concerning. His goal is to produce a national memorandum of understanding for a possible peace agreement. He outlined various positions that would need to be addressed, including “the principles of settlement” and “the timing of a possible peace agreement.”
High Hopes for Future Negotiations
Even though they couldn’t point to concrete outcomes from their most recent engagements, both leaders remained upbeat. In particular, they loved the upbeat aspect of their discussions. Trump characterized the tone and spirit of his interactions with Putin as “excellent.” If true, this upbeat mood could signal a broader desire from each side to keep meeting and talking despite the high-stakes tensions that still loom over relations.
Putin had refused some of the terms during a follow-up call with Trump days later. Still, this kind of discussion represents a thawing of the hostility between the groups. Leaders from France, Finland, Germany, Italy and the European Union are already in talks with Zelenskyy. This indicates a broad based, deep investment in bringing an end to the conflict.
