Spot the difference: the Trump-Putin phone call

Presidents Trump and Putin have just wrapped another 90-minute phone call, so dip that rusk in your coffee or cocoa and join us for a quick guide on what each side is now claiming, before wrapping with a high-stakes game of ‘spot the difference’:

🇺🇸 Starting with Washington, Trump posted…

• “We agreed to an immediate Ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure”, and
• “we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire”.

Trump’s press office then gave a longer read-out adding that…

• “the movement to peace” will also begin with “technical negotiations on the implementation of a Black Sea maritime ceasefire”, and
• the broader “negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East”.

🇷🇺 As for the read-out from Moscow? Putin highlighted that…

• “Complete cessation of providing Kiev with foreign military aid and intelligence must become the key condition”, and
• Putin “responded favourably” to the proposal “to mutually refrain from strikes on energy infrastructure for 30 days.”

Spot the difference?

First, Trump suggests there’s now an immediate ceasefire on both energy and infrastructure, while Putin’s read-out refers instead to “energy infrastructure”.

Maybe it’s a high-stakes typo, or maybe it’s the difference between stopping hits on power plants, grids, and refineries only, versus also stopping hits on (say) water, telco, bridges, railroads, and even sports stadiums.

Second, while Trump’s read-out names a place (Middle East) and time (immediate) for talks, Putin merely flags his “intention to continue efforts”. A bit flaky?

Third, while Trump refers to both Putin and Zelensky wanting peace, Putin says he’s committed to settling this “bilaterally” via US-Russia taskforces, seemingly icing out Kyiv.

And fourth, Putin also reiterates his condition that any ceasefire must also involve the US cutting off Ukraine’s access to security assistance and intelligence — Trump has already test-run both cuts since taking office.

As for Zelensky’s response? Speaking from Finland, he noted, “we will support such a proposal, but we’re very interested in the details”.

INTRIGUE’S TAKE

As intriguing as the above game of DC-Moscow ‘spot the difference’ might be, the more meaningful version might be the game of Moscow-Kyiv ‘spot the difference’ — ie, between the US-backed ceasefire that Ukraine already accepted (immediate and unconditional) versus the conditions Putin is now demanding. For example:

• He wants a halt to attacks on energy facilities because that’s where Ukraine is hurting him most, hitting ~15 out of ~33 major Russian refineries and thus curbing his ability to finance his war and keep his economy afloat. The Ukrainians also just claimed a new 3,000km-range drone putting even more of Putin’s energy at risk. That’s all why Putin quietly listed energy output as a state secret last year, and also why he’s pushing for an energy ceasefire now.
• Ditto, Putin is talking about a Black Sea maritime ceasefire because he had to quietly withdraw his entire Black Sea fleet from pounding Ukrainian cities last year after Ukraine (with no real navy) wiped out a third of it — that’s 26 vessels.
• Oh, and when Putin insists on cuts to US military and intelligence assistance in Ukraine’s self-defence, he’s pushing for a repeat of what we saw last weekend, when Putin used Trump’s brief intel blackout to surprise Zelensky’s troops in Kursk, seizing back a chunk of Ukraine’s leverage in these talks.

So… what’s really happening here? Putin has rejected Ukraine’s US-backed agreement to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, and is instead insisting the US curb some of the few advantages Ukraine still has in defending itself.

But of course, it’s all worded in a way that a) might seem reasonable to a war-weary audience in the West, b) still gives Trump something to claim as a win, and c) again reframes Ukraine’s self-defence (rather than Russia’s invasion) as the obstacle to peace.

So sure, maybe this is a step closer to peace. Or maybe, dear Intriguer, it’s just a reminder that everyone says they want peace. Even the invaders.

Also worth noting:

• The Kremlin’s read-out also suggests Trump and Putin discussed the possibility of a US-Russia hockey series, plus another likely POW exchange.
• Trump earlier this week announced General Kellogg as his ‘Special Envoy to Ukraine’. Intriguers will recall he was already Trump’s envoy to Ukraine and Russia, but the Russians reportedly argued he was too close to Ukraine.