Trump, Putin Hold Tense Call as Ukraine War Rages On

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin did nothing to move forward efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The conversation, which lasted nearly an hour, underscored just how far apart Washington and Moscow remain even as Russian attacks intensify on Ukrainian cities.

Speaking to reporters before leaving Washington for a campaign stop in Iowa, Trump was blunt about the lack of progress. “I didn’t make any progress with him at all,” he admitted. The Kremlin, for its part, described the call as an opportunity for Putin to repeat his view that Russia will not stop its invasion unless what he called the conflict’s “root causes” are resolved. This phrase, often used by Russian officials, refers to NATO expansion and Western military support for Ukraine, issues Putin has cited repeatedly as a justification for the war.

The call came at a tense moment. Just hours after it ended, Ukrainian officials reported a Russian drone attack that set an apartment building on fire in a northern Kyiv suburb. In the capital itself, residents heard explosions and machine-gun fire as air defenses tried to shoot down more drones. Elsewhere in eastern Ukraine, Russian shelling killed five people.

Meanwhile, a pause in some U.S. weapons shipments has left Ukrainian leaders scrambling. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he hoped to speak directly with Trump as early as Friday to discuss the matter. Trump insisted the weapons flow hadn’t completely stopped, but he blamed former President Joe Biden for giving away so much military aid that it risked depleting America’s stockpiles.

“We’re giving weapons, but we’ve given so many weapons,” Trump said. “Biden emptied our whole country, giving them weapons, and we have to make sure that we have enough for ourselves.”

The Pentagon’s move to delay deliveries has already affected shipments of Patriot missile defense systems, which Ukraine depends on to intercept ballistic missiles. Ukrainian officials were concerned enough to summon the acting U.S. ambassador in Kyiv to stress how crucial continued military support is as Russian forces ramp up their summer offensive.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed that Trump and Putin did not discuss a meeting in person and that Moscow prefers any peace negotiations to happen directly between Russia and Ukraine. Russian officials have previously resisted any talks involving the United States as an equal participant, signaling they want to avoid a broader diplomatic format.

For now, both sides appear locked in a stalemate, Russia determined to press its invasion, and the United States struggling to balance support for Ukraine with domestic concerns over its defense readiness. As the fighting drags on, ordinary Ukrainians are left to endure another round of attacks with no clear end in sight.