‘Little good news for Kyiv and Europe’ How politicians and experts are reacting to the latest Putin–Trump phone call
On March 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone for at least an hour and a half. (The Kremlin reported that the call lasted over two hours). After the conversation, Moscow announced that Putin had accepted Trump’s proposal for a suspension of both Russian and Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure for 30 days. However, no agreement was reached on a full one-month ceasefire, which Kyiv had supported after U.S.-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia last week. According to the Kremlin, Putin said that a complete halt to military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine was a key condition for launching a peace process. Trump, however, claimed that the two leaders “didn’t talk about aid at all.” Meduza gathers reactions from politicians and experts to the reported details of the call.
Donald Trump
President of the United States
My phone conversation today with President Putin of Russia was a very good and productive one. We agreed to an immediate Ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine. This War would have never started if I were President! Many elements of a Contract for Peace were discussed, including the fact that thousands of soldiers are being killed, and both President Putin and President Zelenskyy would like to see it end. That process is now in full force and effect, and we will, hopefully, for the sake of Humanity, get the job done!
Volodymyr Zelensky
President of Ukraine
Russia and Ukraine, with U.S. mediation, could agree to refrain from striking energy infrastructure. Our side will support this. But it can’t be that Russia targets our energy facilities while we stay silent — we will respond. […] I’d like to hear more details, especially since the U.S. is proposing that the groups meet in the Middle East. As I understand it, they mean Saudi Arabia. But I haven’t seen the specifics. We support all steps toward ending the war, but to back something, we need to understand exactly what it entails.
Later, commenting on Russia’s drone attacks on Ukraine on Wednesday morning:
Right now, in many regions [of Ukraine], you can quite literally hear what Russia really wants. About 40 Shahed drones are in our skies, air defenses are engaged. Unfortunately, some have hit civilian infrastructure. […] It’s these very nighttime attacks that are destroying our energy system, our infrastructure, and the normal lives of Ukrainians. And the fact that tonight was no exception shows why pressure on Russia must continue in the name of peace. Today, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire. The right response would be for the world to reject any attempts by Putin to drag out the war.
Olaf Scholz
Chancellor of Germany
The next step must be a complete ceasefire for Ukraine and as quickly as possible. Of course it is clear that [French President Emmanuel Macron and I] both agree on this too.
Oleksiy Goncharenko
Ukrainian parliamentary deputy
Let’s sum it up. Today, Trump wanted to announce a complete ceasefire for 30 days, but Russia isn’t going along with it. That’s important to note.
Next: the fact that Trump’s plan didn’t work out could ultimately backfire on Russia itself.
The major prisoner exchange and the halt to strikes on infrastructure — those are very good developments.
And at this point, we can already say that Putin is afraid of Trump. He was forced into some level of de-escalation — and he took that step. Naturally, he started with the energy sector, since that benefits him the most. From here, he’ll bargain for every step and drag things out. But at the same time, he’ll systematically give ground to Trump.
At some point, this will lead to peace.
The White House statement says that the next round of Middle East talks is starting immediately. So in the coming days, we can expect a logical follow-up to today’s conversation.
Dmitry Medvedev
Deputy chairman of Russia’s National Security Council
The phone call between Presidents Putin and Trump proved a well-known idea – there is only Russia and America in the dining room. On the menu: light appetisers – Brussels sprouts, British fish and chips and Paris rooster. The main course is a Kiev-style [sic] cutlet. Enjoy your meal!
Péter Szijjártó
Hungarian foreign minister
Great news from Washington and Moscow – today, the world has become a safer place. We fully support the peace agreement and hope Brussels will not undermine the peace process.
Kirill Dmitriev
Head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund
It is official now - a PERFECT call 🕊️🇷🇺🇺🇸🌎
Timothy Snyder
Historian, professor at Yale University
Utterly predictably, Putin rejects the unconditional ceasefire offered by Ukraine, sends Trump off on the errands of making the Russian invasion easier and denying Ukrainian sovereignty, while Trump claims he has accomplished something.
Tatiana Stanovaya
Senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center
The main tangible, though not pivotal, outcome was Putin’s agreement to a partial 30-day ceasefire — specifically, halting strikes on energy infrastructure. At the same time, he did not outright reject (though in practice, he did) the initial proposal for a full ceasefire, instead repeating his well-known conditions: no further mobilisation or rearmament in Ukraine and a complete halt to foreign assistance. Notably, this applies not only to US aid, making a full ceasefire highly unlikely — unless, of course, Trump pressures Europe with the threat of sanctions if it continues supplying Ukraine, which would clearly suit Moscow. Meanwhile, the demand for Zelensky’s removal has become even more explicit, framed as the argument that Kyiv’s government is irreconcilable.
A key point: setting conditions for a ceasefire does not necessarily make one more likely. For example, while Putin and Trump agreed to launch substantive negotiations within a working group on ensuring Black Sea maritime security, no such talks have been mentioned regarding a comprehensive ceasefire.
Another expected but notable outcome was the decision to establish Russian-American working groups. […] Perhaps the most significant outcome was the implicit acceptance of US-Russia cooperation on key international and bilateral issues. The Middle East and the Red Sea were specifically mentioned, as was the recent joint UN vote on a Ukraine-related resolution. This marks an obvious victory for Putin, who seeks to decouple bilateral relations from the Ukraine war. The ongoing “detoxification” of Russia continues, exemplified by the agreement to organise hockey matches between Russian and American NHL and KHL players.
Michael McFaul
former U.S. Ambassador to Russia
So even before a ceasefire (not a permanent peace), Putin told Trump that he needed the US to stop providing weapons and intel and for the Ukrainian government to stop mobilizing soldiers. Wow. The good news is that Trump apparently didn't agree to these crazy conditions.
Fyodor Lukyanov
Editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs
The process is unfolding largely according to Russia’s scenario. From the outset, Russia made it clear that an immediate ceasefire was unacceptable, because it must be carefully prepared and include the framework for a long-term solution. No ceasefire will come out of this conversation, but Russia has elegantly backed a proposal that Zelensky had previously put forward — one that he later withdrew under U.S. pressure — on mutual suspension of strikes on energy infrastructure and security measures in the Black Sea. […]
In essence, the Kremlin has, to use a Western metaphor, lobbed the ball back (after the ceasefire proposal, everyone was saying the ball was in Russia’s court and that it had to respond immediately), and blunted the White House’s pressure. […]
The condition for a ceasefire or peace is halting Ukraine’s militarization. In a way, this marks a return to the original goal of the “special military operation” — demilitarization. How that will happen, or whether it will happen at all, remains unclear, but the issue is now formally on the agenda. […]
As Russia has insisted from the beginning, the Ukraine issue appears to be being discussed within the broader context of relations between major powers — and that context takes precedence. […] For Kyiv and Europe, this conversation brought little good news — neither in substance nor in form. The resolution of the conflict is being discussed between two great powers, with little regard for anyone else.
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Ilya Yashin
Russian opposition politician
Putin told Trump that a key condition for a ceasefire should be halting military supplies to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
In other words, instead of security guarantees, Kyiv would be left without weapons or ammunition — while Putin calmly rebuilds his army and, after a pause, finishes off Ukraine.
“That’s a great plan, Walter. That’s fucking ingenious, if I understand it correctly.”
Leonid Volkov
Former chairman of Alexey Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation
As many predicted, the talks ultimately failed. Putin doesn’t need peace, and Trump has no leverage.
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