President Donald Trump privately told European leaders this week that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not ready to end the war in Ukraine because he believes he is winning, according to multiple officials familiar with the conversation. The remarks, disclosed by The Wall Street Journal and confirmed by several European diplomats, followed a two-hour phone call between Trump and Putin on May 19.
The statement marks a departure from Trump's earlier public assertions that Putin wanted peace. In a Monday call with European counterparts, Trump began by stating, "I think Vladimir does not want peace," according to one official who participated in the call. Despite this shift in tone, Trump declined to support new sanctions against Moscow, walking back earlier suggestions that he would act if Putin refused a cease-fire.
Trump's latest remarks come amid a renewed European diplomatic push to pressure Putin into halting the conflict. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined the Monday call, urging Trump to take a stronger stance. While the former president appeared sympathetic, he said, "This isn't my war," and reiterated his view that the U.S. should not have become entangled in the conflict.
Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, later said Trump "did say he believes Putin is winning the war BUT he NEVER said 'Putin isn't ready to end war.'" She added that Trump had also said he believes "Putin wants peace and wants the war to be over."
The U.S. president had earlier told European leaders that he might impose sanctions if Putin failed to commit to peace. However, by Monday, Trump opted instead to dispatch Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Keith Kellogg to upcoming negotiations, scheduled for mid-June at the Vatican. Officials said Trump "appeared to be noncommittal" about Washington's broader role in the peace process.
At the Istanbul talks on May 16-the first direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations in three years-Russia sent a junior delegation led by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky. The team reiterated demands for Ukraine to cede four eastern regions, threatening further territorial expansion if Kyiv did not comply. The session ended without progress.
Despite Putin's no-show in Istanbul, Trump seized on Russia's proposal to reenter direct negotiations and told European allies he believed diplomacy could still work. In private, however, he echoed Kremlin narratives, according to Bloomberg and the Financial Times, leaving several European leaders "stunned."
Trump's conflicting signals have frustrated some allies. Macron, during Sunday's earlier call, reportedly interrupted Trump when the U.S. president railed against European migration policies, saying, "You cannot insult our nations, Donald."
While European officials welcomed Trump's recognition that Putin is unwilling to end the war, they expressed concern over Washington's retreat from leadership. Some diplomats concluded that Europe would need to take the lead in sustaining Ukrainian support and defense coordination.
The European Union has moved forward with modest new sanctions on Russia and is developing a broader sanctions package. In the U.S., Sen. Lindsey Graham said he had secured 81 co-sponsors for legislation to tighten restrictions on Russian energy and financial institutions, potentially offering a path for Congressional action independent of the White House.