US President Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for over two hours on Monday, but no major breakthroughs were achieved despite both leaders expressing their personal chemistry.
The conversation was the latest in a series of talks between Washington and Moscow aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. While Putin praised Trump’s efforts as “meaningful and quite frank,” he gave only qualified support to a potential ceasefire and peace deal.
Trump, who has long sought to improve relations with Russia, focused on trade as a way to resolve the crisis. He said that Russia wants to do large-scale trade with the US when the conflict is over, and that there’s “a tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth.”
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed skepticism about Putin’s willingness to compromise. Zelensky told reporters that he urged Trump not to make a decision about Ukraine without Ukraine, and said that Russia needs to demonstrate it’s “really ready to stop” before a ceasefire can be discussed.
European leaders have threatened to increase sanctions on Russia if Putin shows no genuine interest in peace. Despite these warnings, the Trump administration has taken a cautious approach, pressuring Ukraine to give up territory occupied by Russia and accept that it will not join NATO.
The conversation between Putin and Trump comes after one of Russia’s largest drone assaults on Ukraine, with nearly 400 drones launched over the weekend. Diplomatic efforts are ongoing, but it remains unclear whether both sides can find a path forward to end the war.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/05/19/trump-putin-call-ukraine-russia-ceasefire