The Kremlin has responded to U.S. President Donald Trump’s expression of frustration following his Wednesday phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the two leaders discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Following the call, Trump told reporters, “We had a call. It was a pretty long call. We talked about Ukraine, and I'm not happy about that. I'm not happy about that. I didn't make any progress with [Putin] today at all.”
On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov addressed Trump’s remarks, telling reporters, “Without a doubt, we pay very close attention to all statements by President Trump.” Peskov emphasized that Russia remains committed to achieving its objectives in Ukraine, stating, “We are interested in achieving our goals during the special military operation, and preferably by political and diplomatic means. However, since that is not possible at this stage, we continue our operation.”
Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, who was also involved in the call’s coordination, said that Putin reaffirmed to Trump that Russia would not compromise on addressing the “root causes” of the conflict—a term routinely used by Russian officials to refer to their core demands, including NATO’s role in Eastern Europe and Ukrainian neutrality.
Despite President Trump’s frequent criticisms of both Russia and Ukraine, the Kremlin has avoided direct confrontations or personal attacks against him. This restraint comes even after Trump made controversial remarks earlier this year that were perceived in Moscow as diminishing the Soviet Union’s role in World War II.
Trump, who has attempted to cast himself as a mediator in the Ukraine conflict despite the U.S. remaining Kyiv’s largest military and financial backer, notably refrained from posting about the Putin call on his Truth Social platform. The absence of a post is widely interpreted as a sign of Trump’s disappointment and irritation over the lack of progress.
Since taking office in January, Trump’s approach to the war has oscillated between optimism and anger—at times declaring a peace deal was imminent, and at other times publicly criticizing Putin or Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
During last month’s 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, Trump claimed Putin had offered assistance in mediating that crisis. Trump reportedly rebuffed the offer, saying Putin needed to resolve “his war” first.
The exchange between Washington and Moscow highlights the deep divisions that continue to stymie any movement toward a resolution of the war in Ukraine, despite increasing international pressure for de-escalation.