U.S. President Donald Trump held a two-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, in what both sides described as a productive conversation. While the long-anticipated ceasefire did not materialize, Trump’s remarks following the call indicate a shift in his approach: the United States will no longer press for an unconditional ceasefire, and instead will support continued direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
Posting on Truth Social after the call, Trump stated that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine must begin “immediately.” This marked a departure from his comments last week, when he suggested that the war could only end through a direct conversation between himself and Putin—comments made in the aftermath of chaotic scenes during last week’s Russian-Ukrainian diplomatic meeting in Turkey.
Conspicuously absent from Trump’s Truth Social post was any mention of a future summit with Putin. While Trump has previously expressed interest in meeting with the Russian president, the Kremlin has maintained that substantial groundwork would be necessary before such a meeting could take place. Some analysts interpret this as a signal that Putin is unwilling to meet until there is measurable progress toward the normalization of U.S.-Russia relations, particularly regarding the conflict in Ukraine.
Over the past three months, Trump has repeatedly shifted positions on how to approach the war, including who he holds responsible for the stalled peace process. However, Monday’s phone call and subsequent comments may mark a significant turning point. Trump now appears to accept that Russia will not agree to a unilateral ceasefire and that the path to peace lies in continued Russia-Ukraine talks—not through sanctions or further military pressure.
This development could heighten concern across Europe and within Ukraine, as it suggests Trump may not prioritize maintaining sanctions against Russia or sustaining the flow of military aid to Kiev. The prospect of a U.S. policy that pushes Ukraine to negotiate without firm Western guarantees is likely to unsettle key allies.
Ahead of Trump’s call with Putin, the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland reportedly held discussions with Trump, possibly in an effort to persuade him to view Putin as the main obstacle to peace. Their goal may have been to encourage Trump to align more closely with the Ukraine policy of former President Joe Biden.
Following Trump’s conversation with Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also spoke with the U.S. president, urging him not to make decisions on Ukraine “without us.”