In a critical address at the Strong Ideas for a New Time forum in Moscow on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin suddenly stopped speaking to answer a call from U.S. President Donald Trump.
"Please don't be angry. I understand that we could talk more. But it's so awkward to make him (Trump) wait, he could get offended," Putin said as he signed off mid-event.
Putin apologized to those in attendance, citing, "It would be awkward" to make the American president wait, adding that Trump "might get offended" if the call was postponed.
This encounter was the sixth between the two leaders since Trump's return to the White House and their fourth face-to-face encounter in a span of six weeks. Though the tenor of the exchange was reported to be amiable, it produced no substantial breakthroughs—specifically in respect of the Russian aggression in Ukraine.
As Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov reported, President Putin again told Trump that Russia is willing to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war but will not give up on the original military and political goals. "Russia wants a negotiated solution to the Ukraine war for peace, [but] it will not retreat from these goals," Ushakov stated. He expounded that Russia continues to advocate for the resolution of what it sees as the "root causes" of the war—primarily, the stopping of Ukraine's march toward NATO membership and the removal of perceived threats along Russian borders. These arguments, however, are roundly rejected by both Ukraine and its Western allies, who see Moscow's actions as an encroachment on Ukraine's sovereignty.
The leaders also discussed global geopolitical issues, such as increased tensions in the Middle East, what is happening in Iran, and overall U.S.-Russia relations. Putin briefed Trump on recent situations regarding prisoner swaps and the return of deceased soldiers from Russia to Ukraine and back again, and reiterated Moscow's desire to continue talking to Kyiv.
Ushakov pointed out the two presidents seemed to be "on the same page" on the call. Putin also seized the opportunity to offer advance greetings to Trump in advance of U.S. Independence Day on July 4.
The call allegedly started off with President Trump giving updates about a new bill on the economy. The leaders also touched upon potential measures to boost two-way trade and even proposed a cultural exchange program based on traditional values and transmitted through film.
Nevertheless, some urgent issues were noticeably not addressed by their discussion. The recent U.S. move to temporarily halt segments of military assistance to Ukraine—a closely watched development by Kyiv and its partners—was not mentioned. Neither was there any confirmation of the possibility of an in-person summit between the two leaders, although Ushakov stated the possibility remains "up in the air."
Another major issue discussed was Iran. Ushakov stated, "The Russian side underlined the importance of resolving all conflicts, disputes and controversial situations exclusively by political and diplomatic means." His remarks follow news just last week that U.S. airstrikes had struck three of Iran's nuclear sites—an action Moscow criticized publicly.
While the exchange was one of reciprocal diplomacy, it also highlighted how much the two are still apart from solving the key issues setting the world stage, particularly in Ukraine.
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