Putin calls Trump, scares Ukraine with a ‘critical’ situation and chooses war again

A call for Trump’s 80th birthday turned into a conversation about war

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Donald Trump to congratulate him on his 80th birthday, but the festive occasion quickly took a back seat. The main topic of conversation once again became the war against Ukraine, which the Kremlin continues to present as a subject of bargaining, pressure, and political spectacle.

Details of the conversation were outlined by Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the head of the Russian state. According to him, Trump once again urged Putin to “stop the war as soon as possible” and stated that this would supposedly pave the way for a “new quality” of US-Russian relations.

The formula sounds familiar: the Kremlin is offered a chance to come out of isolation, and Putin in response once again demonstrates that he does not intend to stop the aggression. For Israel, this conversation is important not only as news about Washington and Moscow. It shows how dangerous the illusion remains that a dictator can be negotiated with using only diplomatic compliments.

Trump promises to pressure Europe and Kyiv

According to Ushakov, Trump also expressed his readiness to influence European partners and Kyiv. Including during contacts at the G7 summit, which is to be held from June 15-17.

Here the weak point of the American approach appears. Trump talks about ending the war, but at the same time leaves the impression that the pressure may be directed not only at the aggressor but also at the victim of aggression. For Ukraine, this is a risky signal, for Europe – alarming, and for Israel – well-known: when a terrorist or dictator is tried to be “calmed” with concessions, the price almost always rises.

Ushakov separately stated that “recent strikes on civilian objects on Russian territory” hinder settlement. The Kremlin is once again trying to turn reality upside down: Russia has been destroying Ukrainian cities for years, hitting energy, hospitals, residential areas, and civilian infrastructure, but demands sympathy when the war returns to itself.

Putin talks about Ukraine’s “critical” situation, but the numbers hit the Kremlin’s version

In response to Trump’s call, Putin stated that “no attempts by the Kyiv regime to strike at peaceful infrastructure in Russia will change the critical situation for Ukraine on the battlefield.” This wording was conveyed by Ushakov.

This is a typical Kremlin manner: accuse Ukraine, call its government a “regime,” show confidence, and hide its own problems on the front. But behind the loud words, Moscow’s nervousness is again visible. If Russia’s position were really that strong, Putin would not have to so persistently explain to Trump why the war cannot be stopped.

In reality, the Russian army has been retreating from previously captured territories in Ukraine for two months in a row. In April, Russia’s net losses amounted to 116 km², and in May they increased to 281.1 km². This became the worst indicator for Russian troops since 2023, according to calculations by the American Institute for the Study of War.

For readers of NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency, the military indicator itself is not the only important thing here. It is important to see the mechanism of Kremlin propaganda: when the Russian army loses pace, Moscow increases political noise, tries to pressure the West, and simultaneously portrays Ukraine as the side that supposedly “prolongs the conflict.”

What lies behind Russian losses

Analysts associate the deterioration of the Russian troops’ position with the counterattacks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the intensification of Ukrainian drone strikes, as well as communication problems in Russian units. The blocking of Starlink terminals and Telegram restrictions for Russian military personnel are separately mentioned.

That is why Putin’s statements about Ukraine’s “critical” situation look not like a confident analysis, but like an attempt to prepare political cover in advance. The Kremlin needs to explain why the war continues, why losses are growing, and why the promised “victory” is once again postponed.

Putin also told Trump that at the G7 summit, European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would allegedly “try to present everything exactly the opposite” and would propose ideas aimed at prolonging the conflict. But it is Russia that refused to stop the war. It is Russia that started the full-scale invasion. And it is Putin who once again uses negotiation rhetoric not for peace, but for a pause, pressure, and regrouping.

Why this is important for Israel

The Israeli audience well understands the price of words about “de-escalation” when they do not imply a real cessation of aggression. The Middle East has seen many times how terrorist structures and their patrons use negotiations, truces, and international pressure to buy time.

In the case of Ukraine, the situation is similar in logic, although different in scale and geography. Putin does not offer peace — he demands that the world recognize his right to continue the war on terms convenient for Moscow. Trump, for his part, once again looks like a politician who wants a quick deal and a beautiful formula, but so far does not show a tough line capable of stopping the Kremlin.

For Israel, this is not a distant European topic. Russian aggression is linked to a common axis of pressure on democratic countries, with Iran, with anti-Western regimes, and with an attempt to rewrite security rules by force. Therefore, the conversation between Trump and Putin is not just a diplomatic episode before the G7, but a signal of what the new struggle for influence will look like.

NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency continues to monitor how Russia’s war against Ukraine affects Israel’s security, the US position, European politics, and the lives of Jewish communities connected with Ukraine.

Main conclusion

Putin once again refused to genuinely end the war and tried to sell Trump the Kremlin’s picture of the front. Trump once again spoke about the need to stop hostilities, but his willingness to pressure Europe and Kyiv looks ambiguous.

The facts on the ground do not match Russian bravado. The Russian army is suffering territorial losses, Ukraine is increasing pressure, and the Kremlin is trying to replace military reality with political noise. That is why before the G7 summit, it is important to look not at Moscow’s statements, but at actions: who started the war, who continues the shelling, and who each time refuses an honest peace.