Putin plays Trump off a break

Donald Trump says his two-hour phone call with Vladimir Putin on Tuesday was “excellent”. But it did not change the Russian tyrant’s intransigence that stands in the way of peace or a ceasefire in Ukraine. Until Putin changes course, the bloodbath is unlikely to end. US Vice-President JD Vance touted the call as a crucial test of whether Moscow was serious about ending the war: “We want outcomes.” But there were none of substance.

Mr Trump, with his usual ebullience, said: “Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, and END to the War.” But Putin said even a ceasefire would depend on “broader issues”: big territorial concessions by Kyiv, a radically downsized Ukrainian army, pledges that Ukraine would never join NATO and never allow NATO troops to be stationed in Ukraine. “The main thing for us is to eliminate the original reasons for this crisis,” he said. That is not what Mr Trump, in his hopes of finding a peace formula, wanted to hear, whatever spin he put on the outcome. Implementing the 30-day ceasefire Ukraine signed up to in April would have been a good result. Putin’s “nyet” is bad news as Ukraine fights for its freedom. His intransigence should clarify for Mr Trump where blame lies for the impasse and persuade him that the US and other nations need to tighten sanctions. Indulging Moscow is not a credible option.