Putin Tells Trump He Won't Restart Peace Talks, Will Keep Fighting
Russian President Vladimir Putin told US President Donald Trump in a phone call that Moscow would not restart peace negotiations and would keep fighting until its objectives are met, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Trump reportedly offered birthday wishes and obtained a sanctions waiver for Russian diesel. Putin also asserted that Russian forces hold the battlefield initiative.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin used the call with Trump to reject renewed negotiations and to insist Moscow would keep fighting until its stated aims are met. Ushakov also said Putin accused Ukraine of trying to interfere with Russian elections and called Ukrainian resistance pointless, while claiming Russian troops maintain momentum along the front.
Trump reportedly began the conversation with birthday wishes and greetings from Melania Trump, and later obtained a waiver for Russian diesel. The call came after US-led talks in Miami involving Ukrainian, British, French, German, European Commission, and NATO representatives; the six-hour session ended without a declared breakthrough.
The continued fighting may weigh most heavily on Ukrainians facing further displacement, danger, and economic hardship. A diesel waiver and stalled diplomacy could unsettle Kyiv’s allies and energy markets, while Trump’s relay of Kremlin signals may narrow Ukraine’s perceived options. European governments and US officials may face renewed pressure to clarify whether sanctions relief and talks can coexist.