Vladimir Putin has done everything possible to put Trump in difficulty and show him that Russia has an upper hand in negotiations with the USA regarding the ceasefire in Ukraine.
Although the long-awaited phone call between the two leaders was supposed to start around 10:00 Washington time, 17:00 Moscow time, at that moment Putin was on the stage of an economic conference, making a joke about his spokesman Dmitri Peskov, when he was reminded of the scheduled discussion.
Most likely, the delay was also part of the elaborate strategy developed by Russian diplomacy to project an image of a confident Putin with a lot of influence and power to the world.
Making fun of the discussion with Trump, through a comment made by Putin at an event in Moscow, comes after General Keith Kellog, Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, was withdrawn from negotiations by the American administration at the Kremlin's request, as well as the "humiliation" of Steve Witkoff, the White House's chief negotiator in its relationship with Russia, who waited eight hours to be received at the Kremlin, according to information released by Sky News, to have a discussion with Vladimir Putin about the ceasefire in Ukraine.
Putin offered nothing
There will be no peace in Ukraine without security guarantees, and a ceasefire cannot be achieved by Donald Trump's chosen way of handing over the neighboring country to Putin on a silver platter.
According to sources cited by the New York Times, the discussion between the two leaders focused on "Ukraine's territorial losses," with no confirmation from Putin that he accepts the ceasefire.
The Russian leader demanded that Ukraine not receive any weapons, but also the blocking of entry into NATO.
Furthermore, Vladimir Putin demanded that the occupied territories not be subject to negotiation, becoming part of Russia.
Donald Trump has no problem accepting the maximum demands coming from Moscow, with the American president only seeking to achieve, by any means, a ceasefire.
However, after the sharp tension in relations with Europe, the US administration no longer has leverage to impose Russia's demands on Ukraine.
War criminal Putin has already violated the agreement and insulted President Trump. Putin's forces have targeted energy systems in Sloviansk with guided bombs, and the attacks now continue throughout Ukraine. Putin does not want peace, he wants Ukraine.
Joe Wilson, Republican elected official, House of Representatives
The discussion between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin lasted nearly two hours, with the clarification that the Russian leader uses a translator, and the results of the dialogue were below expectations.
In essence, there will be no ceasefire, only a restraint from hitting energy infrastructure targets and an exchange of prisoners of nearly 175 fighters on each side.
After analyzing the initial statements of the two leaders' representatives, it is evident that Putin has an issue with Ukrainian drone incursions, which target Russian refineries.
"The leaders agreed that the move towards peace will begin with a ceasefire in the energy and infrastructure sector, as well as technical negotiations on implementing a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, a complete ceasefire, and permanent peace. These negotiations will start immediately in the Middle East," states the joint statement issued after the phone call between Trump and Putin.
For such an agreement to become a reality, Volodymyr Zelensky must also accept the conditions.
Trump aids Putin's invasion
The entire discussion between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin was a strategy to limit Zelensky's movements and put pressure on the Ukrainian leader.
"Predictably, Putin rejects Ukraine's unconditional ceasefire, makes it easier for Russia's invasion, and denies Ukraine's sovereignty, while the American president claims to have achieved something," stated Timothy Snyder, a professor at Yale University.
In the coming days, it will become increasingly clear that a ceasefire in Ukraine and the achievement of lasting peace cannot be reached without the involvement of Ukraine and the European Union in negotiations.
The chaos in the American administration, Donald Trump's unfounded promises, who from a quick peace promised in the electoral campaign has come to be ridiculed by Putin, have greatly diminished the negotiating power of the USA.
The swift actions - of the European Union and the United Kingdom, which have built a new support coalition for Ukraine - have made the negotiations between the USA and Russia devoid of substance.
Also, shortly after the end of the phone call, Ukrainian military sources reported Russian artillery attacks that targeted the energy infrastructure in the neighboring country.
Minimal Effects of the Dialogue
So far, the negotiations between the USA and Russia are going in the direction desired by the Kremlin leader, with Donald Trump applying no pressure on Moscow.
The effects of the phone call on the conflict in Ukraine will be minimal, and the only solution for them to eventually lead to a ceasefire is for Putin to accept the fact that his army is in a precarious state and needs a period of recovery.
On the other hand, it is hard to believe that Europe will give up arming Ukraine, as Russia demands, and that Kiev's forces will not strengthen in the near future following Putin's conditions.