In a high-stakes phone call on 3 July, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Donald Trump that Moscow would not back down from its strategic objectives in Ukraine, despite a temporary pause in US weapons shipments to Kyiv. The Kremlin said Putin reiterated his openness to negotiations, but only if what he described as the “root causes” of the conflict are addressed — a position that effectively rules out major concessions.
According to Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, the call, the sixth this year between the two leaders, “did not result in any breakthroughs” but was “frank and wide-ranging”, covering Ukraine, Iran, Syria and space cooperation. The conversation was confirmed by multiple outlets including NBC San Diego and Sputnik.
Trump, speaking to reporters afterwards, said he was “disappointed” with the lack of progress on Ukraine and confirmed that Putin showed “no intention of stepping back”. As reported by the New York Daily News, Trump added that he “tried to encourage Putin to move toward a peace deal”, but the effort had so far failed.
Arms pause not a concession
The timing of the call has fuelled speculation in both Russian and international media, particularly after the United States paused some arms shipments to Ukraine in late June. However, US defence officials have made it clear that this was a logistical adjustment, not a policy shift. As Politico and The Times of India have reported, shipments are expected to resume once specific assessments are complete.
The Kremlin has portrayed the pause as a strategic win. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov even suggested it could accelerate the end of Russia’s so-called “special military operation”. State media outlets, including TASS, echoed that narrative. But this interpretation has little grounding in facts: western support for Ukraine remains intact. Financial and military assistance continues to flow, with the Biden administration reiterating its commitment to Kyiv’s defence.
Pentagon press secretary Sean Parnell confirmed that details of the paused shipments are classified, and denied suggestions that the US was caving to pressure from Moscow. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government is reportedly preparing to fund the transfer of two Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine — pending US approval — as reported by Financial Post.
Repetition without results
Despite the frequency of contacts between Trump and Putin — six phone calls since January — little has changed in the substance of US-Russian relations. Both capitals continue to push conflicting messages aimed primarily at domestic audiences. In Russia, calls are framed as diplomatic victories, reinforcing a narrative of geopolitical relevance in spite of sanctions and isolation. In Trump’s political orbit, they are often used to signal influence and leadership without producing tangible results.
This pattern has led analysts to characterise the ongoing dialogue as “diplomatic noise”: high in volume, low in outcome. A similar tone was struck by RTL Today, which noted the Kremlin’s attempt to claim narrative ground despite no actual concessions being made.
While Trump has previously claimed he could end the Ukraine war swiftly if re-elected, his latest call offers little evidence of movement toward that goal. Russia’s position — demanding a complete restructuring of Ukraine’s government and alliances — remains unchanged, and continues to be unacceptable to both Kyiv and NATO.
As the war grinds on and Ukraine braces for another round of missile strikes and drone attacks, western support remains its most crucial lifeline. Russia’s attempt to spin diplomatic stasis as momentum may score points at home — but on the battlefield, the facts remain unyielding.
