Trump Says Putin Wants Ukraine War Deal After ‘Great’ Call

US President Donald Trump has said Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to reach a deal to end the war in Ukraine, following what he described as a “great” phone conversation between the two leaders earlier this week.

Trump made the remarks on Wednesday while preparing to travel to Dallas for the Republican National Convention. The comments came a day after he spoke with Putin for about an hour as Washington continued efforts to revive negotiations aimed at ending the more than four-year-old conflict.

Trump said the path to a settlement would also depend on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreeing to a deal.

Trump Signals Putin Is Ready

Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One, Trump said Putin was interested in reaching an agreement to end the conflict.

“He is wanting to make a deal,” Trump said, adding that it would be positive if Zelenskyy also wanted an agreement.

Trump has repeatedly presented direct engagement with Putin as a way of moving the negotiations forward. His latest comments suggest that the White House believes continued high-level communication could eventually produce an opening for a broader peace agreement.

However, the statement does not indicate that Russia and Ukraine have reached agreement on the central issues dividing them.

One-Hour Trump-Putin Call

Trump and Putin spoke by telephone for roughly an hour on Tuesday.

The conversation came after US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner travelled to Moscow and Kyiv for separate discussions with Russian and Ukrainian officials.

The meetings were part of Washington's continuing diplomatic effort to develop possible proposals for ending the war.

The latest Trump-Putin conversation therefore followed a series of high-level contacts involving the US, Russia and Ukraine, signalling that Washington is seeking to maintain momentum around negotiations.

Witkoff and Kushner Lead Talks

Witkoff and Kushner have emerged as key figures in the Trump administration's efforts to broker an agreement.

Last week, the two met Putin in Moscow before travelling to Kyiv for talks with Zelenskyy.

The discussions reportedly focused on possible arrangements that could eventually bring an end to the fighting. Washington has not publicly announced a final peace framework, and major disagreements between Moscow and Kyiv remain unresolved.

The diplomatic push also comes as the conflict continues on the battlefield, with both Russia and Ukraine maintaining military operations despite renewed international pressure for negotiations.

Kremlin Calls Conversation Constructive

The Kremlin described the latest Trump-Putin discussion as constructive and frank.

Russian presidential foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said the two leaders discussed the continuing war and possible ways to move towards a settlement.

According to the Kremlin's account, Trump reiterated his desire to see the conflict end as quickly as possible, while Putin briefed the US president on developments on the battlefield.

Ushakov also said Putin outlined Moscow's position on what Washington could do to help bring the fighting to an end.

US Intelligence Remains Doubtful

Trump's optimistic assessment contrasts with continued scepticism among US, Ukrainian and European intelligence officials about Moscow's willingness to accept a genuine peace settlement.

The war has now entered its fifth calendar year, and previous diplomatic initiatives have failed to produce a lasting ceasefire.

Last month, CIA Director John Ratcliffe also met Russian intelligence officials in Moscow. The discussions reportedly included efforts to encourage Russia to pursue an end to the conflict.

Despite those contacts, officials remain concerned that Russia's strategic objectives may not be compatible with the terms of a quick settlement.

Trump Blames Putin-Zelenskyy Rift

Trump has increasingly portrayed the personal relationship between Putin and Zelenskyy as a major obstacle to ending the war.

On Wednesday, he said the principal problem was that the two leaders “hate each other”.

Trump argued that their hostility had become one of the most significant barriers to reaching an agreement.

The comments reflect the US president's preference for direct negotiations between the two sides rather than allowing the war to continue indefinitely. Washington is attempting to bring the positions closer together through separate discussions with Moscow and Kyiv.

Peace Prospects Remain Uncertain

The latest diplomatic activity has created another opening for negotiations, but a final peace agreement remains far from certain.

Russia and Ukraine continue to face fundamental disagreements over territory, security guarantees and the political and military conditions required to end the conflict.

Trump's claim that Putin wants a deal could help maintain diplomatic momentum, particularly after the recent meetings involving Witkoff, Kushner and Zelenskyy. But whether Moscow and Kyiv can translate the latest contacts into concrete commitments remains the key question.

For now, Washington is continuing its push for negotiations while the fighting continues. The next phase of US-Russia-Ukraine diplomacy could determine whether the latest round of engagement develops into substantive peace talks or becomes another unsuccessful attempt to end the war.