Putin made no concessions to Trump, but allowed him to save face, – The Times

Trump once again heard from the ruler of the Kremlin that peace in Ukraine is possible only on his terms.

Kremlin dictator Putin’s agreement to limit attacks on Ukraine has saved face for US President Donald Trump , but there is little indication that Moscow is prepared to end the war without Kiev’s capitulation.

According to The Times , Trump had hoped he could use his “excellent relationship” with the Russian dictator to persuade him to agree to a full 30-day ceasefire, but instead he was forced to agree to a ban on attacks on Russian and Ukrainian energy infrastructure. He was also presented with the usual list of Russian demands.

During a conversation that lasted more than two hours, Putin told Trump that peace was only possible if the West stopped military aid to Ukraine and the sharing of intelligence with the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Pro-Kremlin figures were confident in Putin’s ability to outwit Trump in further negotiations on war against Ukraine. “Putin does many things very well. But he negotiates best with Donald Trump,” said the “Russian world” ideologist, writer Alexander Dugin.

Pro-Kremlin political analyst Ilya Grashchenkov said Russia was “lucky” to have Trump. “The talks with the US will go well, but they will be very difficult,” the Kremlin mouthpiece shared his opinion.

In a symbolic move following the call, Russian officials ordered the removal of large pro-war symbols from the U.S. embassy grounds. The Kremlin also said Putin and Trump had agreed to hold hockey matches in Russia and the U.S. between teams made up of players from both countries.

The Kremlin also said Putin and Trump had agreed that Russia and the United States would work together on “global security,” including in the Middle East and the Red Sea.

Tatyana Stanovaya, a Russian political analyst who has been labeled a foreign agent by Moscow, wrote on X: “This is a clear victory for Putin, who seeks to separate bilateral relations from the war in Ukraine.”

It is unclear whether Ukraine will accept the limited ceasefire agreed by Putin and Trump. Zelensky said Ukraine would need more details before making a decision.

(C)UNIAN 2025