Trump Expresses Frustration After Call with Putin on Ukraine
The U.S. President Donald Trump said he was left frustrated following a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggesting Moscow has shown no clear intention to halt its ongoing war in Ukraine, Reuters reports.
Efforts by Washington to bring the conflict to a diplomatic conclusion have largely stalled, while pressure continues to mount on Trump – including from within his own party – to push Putin towards serious negotiations.
Following his discussion with Putin on Thursday, Trump confirmed plans to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, during comments made upon his return to Washington from a visit to Iowa.
«I’m very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin, because I don’t think he’s there, and I’m very disappointed,» Trump said.
«I’m just saying I don’t think he’s looking to stop, and that’s too bad.»
Weapons Pause Adds to Uncertainty
According to a summary provided by Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov, the leaders did not discuss the recent halt in some U.S. weapons deliveries to Ukraine during their nearly hour-long call.
Shortly after the call concluded, Ukrainian authorities reported a suspected Russian drone strike that caused a fire in a residential building in northern Kyiv. Explosions and sustained gunfire were heard in the capital, and five civilians were killed in eastern Ukraine due to Russian shelling, underscoring the ongoing intensity of the conflict.
«I didn’t make any progress with him at all,» Trump told reporters on Thursday.
Earlier that day, speaking in Denmark, Zelensky said he aimed to discuss the weapons pause with Trump as soon as Friday.
Addressing reporters before his trip to Iowa, Trump clarified that the flow of weapons had not been entirely suspended, though he criticised former President Joe Biden for overcommitting U.S. military stockpiles.
«We’re giving weapons, but we’ve given so many weapons. But we are giving weapons,» he said.
«And we’re working with them and trying to help them, but we haven’t. You know, Biden emptied out our whole country giving them weapons, and we have to make sure that we have enough for ourselves.»
Diplomatic Channels Remain Strained
The diplomatic exchanges are unfolding at a time when limited stockpiles have reportedly led the U.S. to temporarily halt deliveries of key military equipment to Ukraine. This pause comes amid Russia’s ongoing summer offensive and intensified targeting of civilian areas.
Putin has maintained that any cessation of military action would depend on addressing what he described as the conflict’s «root causes», often interpreted by officials as demands related to NATO’s presence and Western support for Ukraine. He has also continued to object to any possibility of Ukraine joining the NATO alliance.
Western officials, including NATO representatives, have said that Moscow is seeking to expand its influence over political developments not only in Kyiv but across other Eastern European capitals.
The unexpected pause in U.S. defence support took Ukrainian officials by surprise. Kyiv summoned the acting U.S. envoy on Wednesday to underline the importance of continued military assistance and stress that delays could impair Ukraine’s defence capacity.
Among the affected deliveries are the Patriot missile systems, which play a significant role in countering fast-moving ballistic missiles, according to reports from the Pentagon.
Ushakov noted that while Moscow remains open to dialogue with the U.S., any eventual peace talks should be held directly between Russia and Ukraine.
This reflects what some Ukrainian officials view as a Russian effort to avoid trilateral talks. During a meeting in Istanbul in June, Russian representatives reportedly requested that American diplomats leave the room.
Ushakov also confirmed that Trump and Putin did not discuss the possibility of a face-to-face meeting.
Kursiv also reports that Vladimir Putin has officially recognised the Taliban-led Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
