Russia reacts to Putin-Trump phone call aftermath
On March 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held a phone conversation that lasted more than two hours. The two leaders exchanged views on ending the Ukrainian conflict. One of the practical outcomes was Putin’s agreement to the White House leader’s proposal for a mutual 30-day halt in strikes on energy infrastructure by both Moscow and Kyiv.
Photo: flickr.com by U.S. Department of State from United States,
Flags of Russia and USA
Federation Council and State Duma Declare Diplomacy is Back
Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council, assessed the results of the phone call on his Telegram channel, calling it an undeniable step forward, as both sides appear to be focused on results.
“The main impression – it’s a dialogue, not just two monologues. And not in the format that was being imposed on us: ‘either accept our terms, or you are responsible for all consequences.’ Russia didn’t fall for that, but neither did America take a meaningless path… There were no ultimatums like those from Europe, saying Russia must accept a 30-day ceasefire plan or be deemed against peace.”
Kosachev also noted that no one expected to produce a final formula for peace today, but Russia confirmed its readiness for negotiations through “a number of concrete unilateral steps in the energy and humanitarian spheres. Leaders set the tone and impulses, while experts will build out the details and prepare resolutions.
“In general, we can say: diplomacy has returned!” Senator Kosachev said.
The State Duma also spoke of the return to diplomacy. The world awaited the results of the Russia-US leaders’ discussion, and this conversation could mark the beginning of peace, Leonid Slutsky, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs believes.
“The conversation lasted nearly 2.5 hours. 148 minutes of effective diplomacy that could serve as a prelude to peace while respecting Russia’s national interests,” Slutsky said.
Holding Back Trump’s Storm and Onslaught
The phone call between the Russian and US presidents suggests that Moscow has so far managed to “hold back Trump’s storm and Washington’s push for escalation,” political analyst Mikhail Vinogradov believes.
“Moscow’s strength lies in its ability to do this. So far, it’s working. And who knows—maybe Trump, not getting clear results (but also not facing outright rejection), will shift his focus to something more productive,” the analyst said.
At the same time, Vinogradov pointed out Moscow’s vulnerability in the current situation:
“Everyone is getting a little tired. And if you look at market behavior, some keen observers might argue it’s more than just a little.”
A much shorter and more optimistic reaction came from Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), who was part of Russia’s delegation in negotiations in Riyadh.
“Under the leadership of President Putin and President Trump, the world has become a much safer place today! A historic moment!” Kirill Dmitriev noted.
Following the phone conversation between Putin and Trump, the Kremlin said that the presidents of the two countries emphasized the need to improve Russia-US relations. In this context, Putin outlined issues related to monitoring a potential ceasefire across the entire front line and also pointed to the need to halt forced mobilization in Ukraine and the rearmament of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Russian and American expert groups are to be created to work on achieving a resolution to the Ukrainian conflict.
At the same time, the Russian leader supported the initiative for both sides of the conflict to refrain from strikes on energy infrastructure for 30 days and informed Trump that, as a gesture of goodwill, Moscow would transfer 23 severely wounded Ukrainian prisoners to Kyiv. Additionally, Russia and Ukraine will exchange prisoners under a 175-for-175 formula.
The White House noted that Putin and Trump outlined the first steps in resolving the Ukrainian conflict, discussed a “ceasefire in the energy and infrastructure sectors,” and negotiations regarding a ceasefire in the Black Sea. The presidents also raised the issue of combating the spread of strategic weapons worldwide and discussed potential cooperation in the Middle East.
The leaders of Russia and the US agreed that improving relations between the two countries could benefit the economy and promote geopolitical stability, as noted by the White House.
