Trump’s Call for Ukraine Ceasefire Meets Putin’s Cold Resolve

[Social Media]

 

Trump’s Call for Ukraine Ceasefire Meets Putin’s Cold Resolve

 

President Donald Trump emerged from a two-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday with optimism and declarations of imminent peace in Ukraine. Yet, as Trump touted the call as a breakthrough moment, Putin remained unmoved, signaling little to no shift in Russia’s hardened stance.

 

The two leaders spoke for the third time this year, a conversation that Trump presented as pivotal. From the Oval Office, Trump declared ahead of the call in capital letters on social media that a major moment was coming. Afterward, he announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to “immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire.” But that statement stood in stark contrast to Putin’s more muted response. The Russian leader made the call from a school for gifted children in Sochi, sandwiched between a tour of the facility, and described the exchange as “meaningful and frank,” giving no indication that he had shifted from his prior demands.

 

Despite the lack of concrete progress, Trump remained upbeat. He told reporters later that day, “I do,” when asked whether he believed Putin wanted peace, though he offered no further detail. His social media summary focused more on tone than substance, highlighting what he called an excellent “tone and spirit” during the discussion.

 

Putin, however, gave no ground. Even as Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire, Russia refused, and recent escalations—including a new wave of drone and missile strikes on Kyiv over the weekend—suggest Moscow’s strategy remains unchanged. Trump did not mention the latest attacks while recounting his call, though he has previously labeled such assaults as counterproductive.

'Some progress has been made...'

US President Donald Trump comments on his talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin after it was announced that ceasefire negotiations are set to begin, as he addresses the media in the White House rose garden. pic.twitter.com/LLObAcrALi

— GB News (@GBNEWS) May 19, 2025

 

Trump’s aides have reportedly begun to question whether Putin is using the American leader’s eagerness for peace to stall or manipulate the process. Trump himself has previously raised that concern, but showed no signs of skepticism after Monday’s call. Instead, he emphasized the potential for future economic cooperation as an incentive. “Russia wants to do largescale TRADE with the United States when this catastrophic ‘bloodbath’ is over, and I agree. There is a tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth. Its potential is UNLIMITED,” Trump wrote. He added that Ukraine “can be a great beneficiary on Trade.”

 

Although Trump previously insisted that only he could bring the war to an end, he seemed to retreat from that position on Monday, saying that “the conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of.”

 

There was no mention of an upcoming summit between Trump and Putin in either side’s official readouts of the call. Still, Trump said he had briefed several global leaders on the conversation, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and the Pope.

 

Zelensky confirmed he spoke with Trump both before and after the call with Putin. Following the conversation, European leaders renewed discussions about imposing further sanctions on Russia, with Zelensky stating that the U.S. still needed to be “pressured” into action on that front. Talks about a location for the next round of peace negotiations are ongoing, with Turkey, Switzerland, and the Vatican all mentioned as possible hosts.

 

“The Vatican, as represented by the Pope, has stated that it would be very interested in hosting the negotiations. Let the process begin!” Trump declared.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from CNN  2025-05-20

 

 

[Tug]

Why on earth would putin fold trump allready surrendered Americas contribution and tryed to humiliate the leader of a nation fighting for its life on the world stage….its up to the Europeans to kick putin back were he belongs.salva Ukraine and her courageous people!

[Chomper Higgot]

The art of the kneel.

 

 

[Tug]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The art of the kneel.

 

 

Or the grovel …..

[TheAppletons]

 

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The art of the kneel.

 

I once considered reading The Art of the Deal.

 

When I found it on Amazon and scrolled down to the bottom of the page it said:

 

"People who purchased this item also purchased a rope and a stool."

[Eric Loh]

5 hours ago, Social Media said:

“Russia wants to do largescale TRADE with the United States

What foolish incomprehensible logic. Russia's GDP is smaller than Germany, France, UK and Italy even with Russia advantages in population, resources and land. Trump would rather put a spanner in trade with EU that has a much larger economy with ridiculous tariffs and spared Russia. From ending the war in 24 hours to "it is not our war' and wouldn't join Europe in new sanctions. Trump is an embarrassment. 

[Rimmer]

1 hour ago, Eric Loh said:

What foolish incomprehensible logic. Russia's GDP is smaller than Germany, France, UK and Italy even with Russia advantages in population, resources and land. Trump would rather put a spanner in trade with EU that has a much larger economy with ridiculous tariffs and spared Russia. From ending the war in 24 hours to "it is not our war' and wouldn't join Europe in new sanctions. Trump is an embarrassment. 

 

Even California's economy has overtaken Russia's, highlighting the significant economic power of this U.S. state on the global stage.

 

California: In 2024, California's nominal GDP reached approximately $4.1 trillion, making it the fourth-largest economy globally.

 

Russia: In contrast, Russia's nominal GDP for 2023 was about $2.02 trillion, according to World Bank data.

[bkk6060]

Would be surprised of it ever ends.

[StandardIssue]

4 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The art of the kneel.

 

 

Trump: "We had a good call, many nice words were said, he sounded like he was smiling on the phone, I think Putin want's to end the war, if he wants to end it, well see, he seems to wants a cease fire, because, you know, a cease fire would be good"

[FlorC]

Putin is right and winning.

The only compromise should come from the losers and Trump

knows this. 

Ceasefire only means , rearming .

 

 

[StandardIssue]

2 hours ago, TheAppletons said:

 

 

I once considered reading The Art of the Deal.

 

When I found it on Amazon and scrolled down to the bottom of the page it said:

 

"People who purchased this item also purchased a rope and a stool."

 

"The Are of the Deal" by the only man who managed to build and then bankrupt a casino.

[Jingthing]

Poodle Trump sucking up to his hero Putin yet again.

Zelinskyy still has no choice but to humor the American moron as long as there is any hope of not being totally cut off from U.S. intelligence and arms support.

As said before, even toddlers well understand that Putin does not want either a cease fire or peace.

His demands remain maximalist. Total surrender.

A Ukraine completely controlled by Russia and no that doesn't need to include literal occupation of the entire country.

[CallumWK]

2 hours ago, StandardIssue said:

he sounded like he was smiling on the phone

 

Obviously Trump doesn' know the difference between smiling and been laughed at.

That he backs off from a meeting with Putin and considers retreating from the peace talks, is a clear sign the call was a total failure.

[bannork]

Trump suffers from two deficiencies,  which in combination are extremely detrimental for the US, and unfortunately the world at times.

1. His extreme narcissism which leads to wild claims both on his social media posts and press conferences, etc. 

The stopping the Ukraine-Russia war in 24 hours being a prime example.

2. His ignorance of the topic at hand. Tariffs for example, claiming the US is being ripped off for buying foreign goods. It's an exchange of items for gawds sake, money for goods. Am I being cheated when I go to the grocery store and spend a few pounds on vegetables? ' Hey! I'm down 5 pounds!'

Abraham Lincoln said it best: Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt. 

 

 

 

[frank83628]

32 minutes ago, bannork said:

Trump suffers from two deficiencies,  which in combination are extremely detrimental for the US, and unfortunately the world at times.

1. His extreme narcissism which leads to wild claims both on his social media posts and press conferences, etc. 

The stopping the Ukraine-Russia war in 24 hours being a prime example.

2. His ignorance of the topic at hand. Tariffs for example, claiming the US is being ripped off for buying foreign goods. It's an exchange of items for gawds sake, money for goods. Am I being cheated when I go to the grocery store and spend a few pounds on vegetables? ' Hey! I'm down 5 pounds!'

Abraham Lincoln said it best: Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt. 

 

 

 

Lincoln was right, you should have kept quiet.