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Call Floats Ukraine Truce
President Donald Trump said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday about the possibility of a “little bit of a ceasefire” in Ukraine, while also discussing the U.S. war with Iran.
“Washington — President Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke Wednesday about the possibility of a "little bit of a ceasefire" in Ukraine during a conversation about the wars there and in”
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, “I had a long talk with President Putin,” and said, “I suggested a little bit of a ceasefire and I think he might do that. He might announce something having to do with it.”
Multiple outlets tied the proposed pause to Russia’s Victory Day, with Russian state news agency TASS reporting that Putin told Trump he was ready to declare a ceasefire for Victory Day, a Russian holiday on May 9 commemorating the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.
The call lasted more than 90 minutes, with Politico and The Guardian both citing that duration, and The Guardian describing it as lasting “more than 90 minutes.”
Trump also said he does not know whether the Russia-Ukraine war or the U.S.’s war with Iran will end first, adding, “Which war would end first? I don’t know, maybe they’re on a similar timetable.”
In the same Oval Office remarks, Trump projected confidence that a resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war would come “relatively quickly,” saying, “I think we’re going to come up with a solution relatively quickly,” even as he acknowledged it was unclear how or when.
Iran Enrichment and Timelines
Alongside the Ukraine ceasefire discussion, Trump said Putin offered help with “enrichment” in Iran, which CBS News described as seemingly meaning help remove Iran’s enriched uranium.
Trump told reporters, “He told me he'd like to be involved with the enrichment, if he can help us get it,” and added, “I said, 'I'd much rather have you be involved with ending the war with Ukraine.' To me, that would be more important.”
The Hill similarly reported that Trump said Putin offered to help with “enrichment,” and framed it as “presumably in reference to the idea that Russia could take about 1,000 pounds of enriched uranium, the fuel needed for a nuclear weapon, from Iran.”
The Guardian reported that Putin and Trump discussed the war in Iran and that Moscow viewed the prospect of a US ground operation in Iran as dangerous, while also welcoming Trump’s decision to extend a ceasefire in the region, according to Yuri Ushakov.
Politico and CBS News both described Trump’s view that the Iran war and the Ukraine war could have “similar timetable” dynamics, with Politico stating the Iran war could wind down “on a similar timetable” as Russia’s four-year-long incursion in Ukraine.
The Hill added that Trump said he viewed the U.S. war against Iran and Russia’s war against Ukraine on similar timelines toward ending, and it also reported that the Wall Street Journal said Trump was signaling he wants to maintain the U.S. blockade against Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.
Putin’s Victory Day Truce Offer
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Putin was ready to declare a temporary truce in Ukraine for Victory Day celebrations, and Trump backed the initiative, according to The Kyiv Independent.
“Shortly before the Russian celebrations for World War II remembrance, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin discussed a possible ceasefire in Ukraine”
The Kyiv Independent reported that the conversation was “1.5-hour-long” and focused on the Russia-Ukraine war, peace efforts, and the ongoing ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, while also stating that Putin repeatedly proposed temporary and limited truces during Moscow’s all-out war against Ukraine.
In CBS News, TASS reported that Putin told Trump he was ready to declare a ceasefire for Victory Day, and in The Hill, Ushakov was described as telling TASS that Putin proposed a ceasefire during “Victory Day” celebrations.
The Guardian described the call as lasting more than 90 minutes and said Ushakov reported that Putin welcomed Trump’s decision to extend a ceasefire in the region while floating the temporary Ukraine ceasefire.
The Moscow Times and DIE WELT both described the call as “frank and businesslike” and “Long, good conversation,” respectively, and both tied the truce to Victory Day.
The Hill also reported that Putin had earlier agreed to a 32-hour ceasefire in April during Orthodox Easter, and it noted that Moscow and Kyiv each accused the other of violations.
Frontline Claims and Kyiv’s Rejection
While Trump said he suggested a ceasefire and believed Putin “might do that,” the sources also show competing assessments of the war’s direction and the conditions for any settlement.
The Guardian reported that Putin signalled he is prepared to continue fighting until Ukraine cedes territory Russia currently controls in the Donbas, among other demands, and it said Volodymyr Zelenskyy has consistently rejected any such concessions.
The Guardian also described battlefield dynamics, saying Putin told Trump that Russian forces retained the initiative and were pushing back Ukrainian positions, while open-source information indicated neither side appeared close to a breakthrough.
The Moscow Times quoted Ushakov describing “the current situation along the line of contact, where our troops are holding the strategic initiative and pushing back the enemy's positions,” and it added that both Putin and Trump expressed similar assessments of the behavior of the Kyiv regime led by Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Hill reported that Putin has made demands for ending the war contingent on Ukraine handing over territory and recognizing Russia’s occupation of such territory, and it said an official with the office of the president of Ukraine said the details of what was discussed must be clarified before responding.
The Kyiv Independent said Ukraine has refused Russian ultimatums, including the demand that Ukraine withdraw from the eastern Donbas region, and it stated Russia refused to agree to an unconditional ceasefire along the current frontline positions and continues to strike Ukrainian cities.
What Comes Next and Stakes
The sources portray the ceasefire idea as conditional and time-bound, with multiple accounts emphasizing that any pause would be temporary and tied to Victory Day, while the broader peace process remains stalled.
Trump said he thinks the solution could come “relatively quickly,” telling reporters, “I think we're going to come up with a solution relatively quickly,” but CBS News also noted it was unclear how or when, and Politico said “conversations to end the fighting are ongoing.”
The Guardian reported that despite repeated U.S. statements that a deal is close, “the two sides remain far from any lasting settlement,” and it described Putin’s continued insistence on war aims and Zelenskyy’s rejection of concessions.
The Hill added that Trump asked Putin for a “little bit of a ceasefire” and noted that Putin had earlier agreed to a 32-hour ceasefire in April during Orthodox Easter, with both sides accusing each other of violations.
The Kyiv Independent said no call between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled at the moment, but that it can change “the next minute,” and it also said Ukraine has recorded “over 400 violations” during the alleged Orthodox Easter ceasefire.
In parallel, the Guardian reported that the Kremlin scaled back this year’s Victory Day parade because of the threat, with no military hardware on display for the first time in nearly two decades.
