Trump-Putin Call Viewed as a Win for Russia

Based on many headlines in Russia today, it seems Moscow is pleased with the recent phone call between Presidents Putin and Trump, particularly from the Kremlin’s perspective.

“Putin and Trump decided to collaborate on resolving the Ukraine situation,” concludes Izvestia.

“Longest Putin-Trump conversation on record,” proclaims Komsomolskaya Pravda. The paper’s online edition adds: “Currently, Russia has achieved a diplomatic win.”

What is leading some in Russia to declare “victory” after this extended phone call?

It may be due to the fact that by the end of the discussion, Vladimir Putin had not been coerced into making significant concessions regarding Ukraine or to the United States. Rather, he effectively dismissed President Trump’s proposal for an immediate, unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

Instead of confronting Moscow with threats of harsher sanctions to secure adherence to its plan, the US administration chose to commend the Kremlin leader.

“We had a fantastic call,” Donald Trump told Fox News.

“I commend President Putin for what he accomplished in that call to steer his country closer to a comprehensive peace agreement,” said Trump’s representative Steve Witkoff.

Moscow not only declined an unconditional ceasefire, but President Putin also laid out his own prerequisites for achieving peace.

These conditions include ending Western military support to Kyiv and intelligence cooperation with the Ukrainians, as well as stopping mobilization in Ukraine. Such terms are seen as a means to secure Ukraine’s surrender.

It is difficult to imagine Kyiv acquiescing to any of these terms.

However, could the Trump administration eventually come to view these conditions as acceptable? And if so, would Washington compel Ukraine to accept them?

Much might hinge on whether the Kremlin can persuade President Trump that fostering good relations with Moscow is more beneficial than advocating for Ukraine’s interests.

Reinforcing this notion, Russian officials are already presenting various economic incentives in discussions with the Americans, emphasizing the potential mutual benefits of revitalizing Russia-US relations through collaborative projects.

Vladimir Putin has mentioned the possibility of US-Russian collaboration in aluminium production and rare minerals extraction.

The message seems to be resonating.

“We would like to enhance trade with Russia,” Donald Trump remarked on Tuesday during his interview with Fox News.

“They have some incredibly valuable resources, including rare earth materials. They hold a significant amount of land, the largest globally. They possess resources we could greatly benefit from.”

Moscow might be counting on the assumption that Donald Trump will prioritize securing a portion of that “Russian real estate” over negotiating a favorable deal for Ukraine to end the conflict.

This sentiment is echoed today in the pro-Kremlin Izvestia newspaper:

“Moscow’s strategy is to make economic ties with America so profitable that severing them would prove too expensive for the United States.”

After Ukraine had previously accepted an unconditional ceasefire, the US administration had publicly stated that “the ball is in [Russia’s] court”.

Now that Vladimir Putin has dismissed the agreement and established his own terms, the Kremlin leader has effectively returned the ball to America’s “court”.

Yet, dialogues between Russia and America will persist—both regarding Ukraine and their bilateral relations.

These negotiations are likely to shape Donald Trump’s forthcoming actions.