Trump Acknowledges Lack of Progress in Ukraine During Call with Putin

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a rare admission of impotence, former President Donald Trump stated Thursday that he made “no progress” toward ending the war in Ukraine during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“No, I didn’t make any progress,” Trump told reporters, expressing his dissatisfaction with the ongoing conflict between the two nations. Putin informed Trump that Russia “will not give up on its objectives” in Ukraine, but he was open to continuing negotiations with Kyiv.

This marked the sixth discussion between the two leaders since Trump’s return to the White House in January. The call came a day after Washington announced a pause in the delivery of certain weapons to Ukraine, more than three and a half years into the Russian offensive.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was visiting Denmark on Thursday, urged Europeans to increase their support in light of what he perceives as a potential disengagement from the U.S.

The exchange between Trump and Putin, lasting about an hour, was described as “frank” by Kremlin diplomatic advisor Yuri Ushakov. He noted that Russia “continues to seek a political and negotiated solution to the conflict” with Ukraine.

Putin highlighted Russia’s willingness to pursue the negotiation process that began in Istanbul, where two direct Russo-Ukrainian talks recently took place with limited results. However, Ushakov insisted that “Russia will not abandon its objectives,” demanding that Ukraine cede four partially occupied regions in addition to Crimea, annexed in 2014, and abandon its NATO ambitions—terms deemed unacceptable by Kyiv.

Trump expressed frustration recently over the lack of progress in resolving a conflict he promised to address quickly. During the call, he and Putin also discussed conflicts in the Middle East, including the recent war between Iran and Israel and the situation in Syria, with Putin advocating for a resolution solely through political and diplomatic means.

Zelensky had previousy called on Trump to “change his tone” with Russia and impose new sanctions. He emphasized doubts surrounding the continuation of American support for Europe, urging increased cooperation within the EU and NATO, both of which Ukraine aspires to join.

In this context, Zelensky hopes to speak with Trump “tomorrow or in the coming days.” The two leaders had met on the sidelines of a NATO summit in The Hague last week.

Meanwhile, fighting continues on the ground. Eight people were reported killed and several others injured in various Russian strikes on Thursday, including attacks in Poltava, where a military recruitment center was hit, and in Odessa, a major port on the Black Sea.

On the Russian side, drone strikes launched by Ukraine resulted in one death and two injuries in the Lipetsk region, about 400 km southeast of Moscow, according to local authorities. The Russian military, which occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory, claimed on Thursday it had taken control of Milové, a border locality in Kharkiv region, opening a new front in an area that had seen little movement in months.