The President of the United States, Donald Trump, and the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, have agreed on Tuesday, after a long conversation of over an hour and a half, that "the path to peace" in Ukraine "will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire for 30 days and a prisoner exchange.
It is not what Kiev wants, it is not the total cessation of hostilities during the first month proposed by the United States and demanded with insults, threats, and reprisals to Zelenski, but it is the most that Trump has managed to extract from Moscow, which not only protects its own facilities from enemy drones but also conditions peace on Ukraine not being able to take advantage of the time without attacks to receive weapons or intelligence assistance.
In addition to that pause for the infrastructures, especially the energy ones, the favorite target of Russian missiles, to cease being a military objective, the two leaders point out that they will address "technical negotiations for the implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, a total ceasefire, and permanent peace" that will take place "immediately in the Middle East," according to a statement sent by the White House after the phone call.
Those negotiations would be "bilateral," according to the Kremlin, without Ukrainian participation. In fact, and unlike the previous call between both leaders, Trump this time did not call Volodimir Zelenski afterward. Hours later, the latter reacted by saying that they will support "any proposal that leads to a fair and sustainable peace. But for that, we must understand what is at stake. What are the details? And hopefully, we know all these details so that partners can dialogue with us. Trying to negotiate without Ukraine, in my opinion, will not be productive. If President Trump has time —he is a busy man—, if he has time, he can call at any time; we are ready to attend. We are willing to discuss the next steps with him," he explained in response to questions from journalists.
"My phone conversation today with President Putin of Russia was very positive and productive," celebrated Trump on his social media. "We agreed on an immediate ceasefire in all energy and infrastructure, with the understanding that we will work quickly to achieve a complete ceasefire and, ultimately, the end of this terrible war between Russia and Ukraine. Many elements of a Peace Contract were discussed, including the fact that thousands of soldiers are dying, and both President Putin and President Zelenski want it to end. This process is now in full force and, hopefully, for the sake of humanity, we will achieve the goal."
According to the Kremlin's statement, in the exchange "the serious risks [to peace] posed by the inability to negotiate of the Kiev regime, which has repeatedly sabotaged and violated other agreements reached," were pointed out, and always according to this version, which the White House does not mention at any time, "it was emphasized that the key condition to prevent the escalation of the conflict and work towards its solution through political and diplomatic means must be the complete cessation of foreign military aid and the supply of intelligence information to Kiev," but without explaining how or since when.
In the summary provided by Washington, it is stated that both presidents "agreed that this conflict must end with lasting peace. They also highlighted the need to improve bilateral relations between the United States and Russia. The effort that both Ukraine and Russia have invested in this war would be better invested in the needs of their peoples." No trace of the public pressure on Ukraine in recent months, nor of the threat of sanctions if it did not agree to stop the war. Only a significant satisfaction for a measure that does not interrupt the fighting or bombings.
"Right now, in many regions, you can literally hear what Russia really needs. About 40 'Shahed' drones are in our skies, and the air defense is active. It is these types of nightly attacks by Russia that destroy our energy sector, our infrastructure, and the normal life of Ukrainians. And the fact that tonight is no exception demonstrates that the pressure on Russia must continue for the sake of peace. Today, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a total ceasefire. It would be fair for the world to respond by rejecting any attempt by Putin to prolong the war," reacted Volodimir Zelenski hours later.
In the document, with Trump's usual rhetoric, it is insisted that "this conflict should never have started and should have ended long ago with sincere and good-faith peace efforts." But since it did not happen before, it will have to be now. "The leaders agreed that the path to peace will begin with an energy ceasefire and infrastructure, as well as technical negotiations on the implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, a total ceasefire, and permanent peace. These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East," it adds.
"The leaders confirmed their intention to continue efforts to achieve a solution in Ukraine bilaterally, taking into account the aforementioned proposals of the President of the United States. For this purpose, Russian and American expert groups are being created," says the Russian version that clearly excludes the Ukrainians.
"The phone call between Presidents Putin and Trump demonstrated a well-known idea: only Russia and the United States are in the dining room. The menu includes light appetizers: Brussels sprouts, British fish and chips, and Parisian rooster. The main course is a Kiev-style chop. Enjoy!" mocked, exultant, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
The call, the longest in many years, since Joe Biden cut off direct channels at the beginning of the war, also addressed the situation precisely in the Middle East, the day Israel broke the ceasefire with Hamas. As well as the "need to stop the proliferation of strategic weapons and collaborate with others to ensure their broader application. Both leaders agreed that Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel. Both leaders agreed that a future with a better bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia offers enormous advantages. This includes significant economic agreements and geopolitical stability once peace is achieved," concludes the statement.
"Under the leadership of President Putin and President Trump, the world has become a safer place today. Historic, epic!", noted Kirill Dmitriev, the former Goldman Sachs banker and director of the Russian sovereign fund who has become one of the Kremlin's special envoys to deal with Washington. "The perfect call," he celebrated.
Early in the morning, European time, the Kremlin spokesperson said that the call would take place starting at 9:00 Washington time. But when that time came, Putin was speaking casually with oligarchs and businessmen, and he joked saying that the spokesperson should not be listened to. But many, inside and outside of Russia, interpreted it almost as a mockery, repeated later in the statements of the media most aligned with the Government, which seemed to delight in the idea that Putin made Trump wait, something with significant meaning after last week Trump accused the media of misinformation for saying that the Russian president made his envoy Steve Witkoff wait up to seven hours in Moscow before meeting him. "President Trump is in the Oval Office talking to President Putin from 10:00 in the morning. The call is going well and is ongoing," wrote Dan Scavino, one of the president's top advisors, at 10:54 in Washington.
In Ukraine and among NATO allies, there was much fear of this call. Not because of the act of speaking itself, which may be the only way to move forward in the short term towards a ceasefire, but because Trump's reactions in recent weeks make his partners think that he is particularly suggestible and that Putin can take advantage of him. So far, Trump seems to have bought into much of the Russian narrative about the origins of the war, about Zelenski, about what Ukrainian concessions should be included in a peace agreement, and even about what is happening on the battlefield, as was clear when last week he repeatedly stated that the Russians had thousands of Ukrainian soldiers surrounded practically at their mercy in the Kursk area, something that all actors with reliable information, starting with the Kiev military staff, denied.
In the Russian statement about the call, for example, that idea is played with, and Putin says that for "humanitarian reasons" he is willing to spare the lives of Ukrainian troops if they surrender in Kursk, although he accuses them of "horrible terrorist crimes against the civilian population":