Topline
President Donald Trump said Thursday he made no progress in a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning the Russia-Ukraine war, which wages on after more than three years of fighting.
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
Key Facts
Trump said he talked with Putin about the war, adding, “I’m not happy about that” before telling reporters he made no progress with Putin, presumably on a peacemaking deal that could suspend or end the war.
Trump, who campaigned on ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, has become less involved in dealmaking between the two countries since February, when he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy engaged in an Oval Office shouting match.
The U.S. was one of Ukraine’s most ardent supporters following Russia’s invasion in 2022 and has since distanced itself from the country under the Trump administration, which recently paused weapons shipments to Ukraine and cited concerns of decreasing U.S. stockpiles.
Trump noted he and Putin discussed Iran, which had multiple nuclear facilities bombed by Israel and the U.S. last month after Russia warned against escalation in the Middle East.
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Big Number
$66.9 billion. That is how much money in military assistance the U.S. provided Ukraine from Russia’s 2022 invasion to March 2025, according to the State Department.
What To Watch For
Russia appears unlikely to end its invasion of Ukraine unless Ukraine surrenders or the U.S. is able to establish a peace deal between the two countries that gives significant concessions to Russia. Vice President JD Vance told reporters the Russia-Ukraine war was “not going to end anytime soon” after the U.S. and Ukraine signed a minerals deal designed to provide compensation for the financial support the U.S. has provided.
Key Background
Trump and Zelenskyy’s relationship soured earlier this year after the two traded critical remarks in February, bringing relations between the U.S. and Ukraine to their lowest point in years. Trump falsely claimed Ukraine started the war with Russia and received backlash from Zelenskyy, who said the president was living in a Russian-made “disinformation space.” Trump then accused Zelenskyy of being a dictator and being uninterested in putting an end to the war. Trump and Zelenskyy had an Oval Office meeting alongside Vance and members of Trump’s Cabinet a little over a week later, with the two ending peace talks early following the combative discussion. Zelenskyy scrutinized Trump’s increasing communication with Putin, saying the Russian president has been an unreliable diplomat after citing failed deals with Putin. Trump said Zelenskyy disrespected the U.S. in the meeting and suggested the U.S. could fully withdraw support from Ukraine’s defense efforts.
