Washington: President Donald Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled a strong intent to respond to Ukraine’s recent drone assault on Russian airfields during a phone conversation between the two leaders on Wednesday. The call, which Trump disclosed in a Truth Social post that has since been deleted, underscored the difficulty of achieving a ceasefire despite Trump’s repeated claims that he can bring an end to the war.
The conversation, which lasted 75 minutes, marked the second time in weeks that the two presidents had spoken. Trump offered a subdued account of the exchange, noting it was “a good conversation” but one that wouldn’t lead to an immediate resolution of the war. He said Putin was “very strong” in stating he would retaliate for the weekend’s airfield attacks.
Trump did not indicate whether he had urged Putin to exercise restraint or commit to a ceasefire, despite previously saying he would assess within two weeks whether the Russian president was serious about ending the conflict. His post made no mention of any U.S. pressure on Moscow and instead focused on the drone strikes and broader military exchanges between Russia and Ukraine.
The call comes amid intensifying calls for Trump to impose additional sanctions on Moscow—measures he has so far resisted. At the same time, peace efforts appear stalled. Recent talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Istanbul ended without progress, with both sides holding firm to their positions. Trump, however, has taken credit for encouraging the direct engagement.
The White House and Trump have offered limited responses to Ukraine’s drone attacks on Russian targets, saying Kyiv did not give prior warning about the operations. Previously, Trump had criticized Putin over air strikes targeting Ukrainian cities.
In addition to the Ukraine conflict, Trump said the call touched on Iran’s nuclear program. He reiterated that Tehran must be stopped from acquiring nuclear weapons and claimed both he and Putin agreed on that point. According to Trump, Putin indicated he might take part in nuclear discussions with Iran and could help bring the matter to a resolution.
Russian state media confirmed the phone call, citing Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
