Rosenberg: Trump-Putin Call Viewed as a Win in Russia
Moscow Sees Diplomatic Victory in Lengthy Trump-Putin Discussion
Judging by Russian media coverage, the Kremlin views the latest phone call between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump as a success—at least from Moscow’s perspective.
Izvestia summed it up with the headline: “Putin and Trump Agree to Work Together on Ukraine Resolution.” Meanwhile, Komsomolskaya Pravda described it as a “Record-Long Putin-Trump Call,” adding on its website, “Russia has scored a diplomatic victory.”
Why is Moscow Celebrating?
The two-hour conversation ended without Putin making any major concessions to the U.S. or Ukraine. Instead, he effectively rejected Trump’s proposal for an immediate, unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
Rather than increasing pressure on Moscow through tougher sanctions or diplomatic penalties, the U.S. administration responded with praise for the Russian leader.
“We had a great call,” Trump told Fox News.
His envoy, Steve Witkoff, went even further: “I would commend President Putin for all he did today on that call to move his country close to a final peace deal.”
Yet, Moscow not only refused to agree to an unconditional ceasefire, but Putin also laid out his own terms for peace. These include:
- Ending Western military aid and intelligence support to Ukraine
- Halting Ukraine’s mobilization efforts
Such conditions are widely seen as a strategy to force Ukraine into submission—something Kyiv is highly unlikely to accept.
Could Washington Shift Its Stance?
The key question now is whether Moscow can persuade Trump that prioritizing U.S.-Russia relations is more beneficial than standing firm on Ukraine.
Russian officials are already emphasizing the potential economic advantages of closer ties. They have floated proposals for joint ventures in aluminum production and rare mineral mining, positioning cooperation with the U.S. as a lucrative opportunity.
Trump appears receptive to these ideas.
“We’d like to have more trade with Russia,” he told Fox News on Tuesday. “They have some very valuable things for us, including rare earth minerals… They have the biggest real estate in the world. They have things we could use.”
A Calculated Kremlin Strategy?
The Izvestia newspaper echoed this sentiment, stating: “Moscow’s strategy is to make economic ties with the U.S. so beneficial that severing them would be too costly.”
Just a week ago, Ukraine had agreed to an unconditional ceasefire, prompting the U.S. to declare, “the ball is in Russia’s court.”
Now, with Putin rejecting that deal and setting his own conditions, he has effectively volleyed the ball back to Washington.
As discussions between the U.S. and Russia continue—both on Ukraine and broader economic cooperation—Trump’s next move could be influenced by these ongoing negotiations.
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