President Donald Trump pushed for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine during a two-hour call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, but failed to secure a breakthrough as the Kremlin continued to hold firm on its demands.
The call, which Trump conducted from the Oval Office, was meant to test Putin’s willingness to end what the U.S. leader has repeatedly called a “bloodbath.” “I said, when are we going to end this, Vladimir? When are we going to end this bloodshed?” Trump told reporters afterward.
In contrast, Putin took the call from a school for gifted children in Sochi, fitting the conversation into a tour of the facility. His remarks afterward lacked urgency, describing the exchange as “meaningful and frank,” with no sign of major concessions.
Trump publicly stated that both sides had agreed to “immediately start negotiations toward a ceasefire,” though Russia made no formal commitment to halt its military operations. Ukraine has already indicated willingness to observe a 30-day truce, but Moscow has not responded in kind.
“If I thought that President Putin did not want to get this over with, I wouldn’t even be talking about it,” Trump said. “I think he’s had enough.”
Despite no tangible progress, Trump emphasized what he called the positive “tone and spirit” of the conversation. He also warned that if Putin failed to act, he would pull back. “Very big egos involved,” Trump said. “But I think something’s going to happen. And if it doesn’t, I just back away and they’re going to have to keep going.”
Putin, however, has intensified Russia’s military campaign in recent days, including fresh drone and missile strikes on Kyiv. Trump, who previously criticized such attacks, did not mention them while recounting the call.
Ahead of the conversation, Trump spoke with several European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, to coordinate strategies for pressuring Moscow. Starmer said the group discussed new sanctions if Russia failed to engage seriously. But Trump made no mention of further penalties after the call and instead focused on future trade opportunities.
“Russia wants to do large-scale TRADE with the United States when this catastrophic ‘bloodbath’ is over,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Its potential is UNLIMITED.” He added that Ukraine “can be a great beneficiary on Trade” as well.
Trump said he briefed several world leaders on the call’s contents, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He also noted the Vatican, through Pope Francis, has offered to host future negotiations.
Zelensky confirmed he spoke with Trump twice on Monday — once before the Putin call and again afterward. The Ukrainian leader said talks would continue with allies over possible new sanctions and the next venue for ceasefire discussions. Turkey, Switzerland, and the Vatican are among the options under consideration.
Though Trump has long claimed only he can end the war, he now appears to be stepping back from a direct mediating role. “The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties,” he said. “They know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of.”
For now, Trump remains optimistic, but the lack of movement from Moscow continues to cast doubt over whether the U.S. president’s approach will yield results.
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