Trump and Putin discussed the Russia–Ukraine war but acknowledged a lack of progress. Just hours later, Russia launched its largest strike on Ukraine to date, firing over 550 drones and missiles. Zelensky pointed to the Kremlin’s cynicism, while also receiving assurances from Trump regarding air defense support.
Trump–Putin Phone Call: No Peace, No Progress
During a phone call on July 3 that lasted about an hour, Donald Trump discussed discussed the possibility of a quick end to the conflict with Putin, but both leaders—though with different emphasis—admitted that no progress had been made. It was their sixth phone conversation since Trump began his second term in January.
The U.S. President stated that after speaking with Putin, he saw no indication that the Kremlin intended to stop the war and was "dissatisfied" with the situation in Ukraine.
"I'm very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin... I’m just saying: I don’t think he wants to stop, and that’s very bad," he told reporters on the night of July 4, after returning to Washington from a trip to Iowa.
Donald Trump also assured that the U.S. had not suspended aid to Ukraine, but emphasized the need to replenish U.S. stockpiles after what he called a previous “depletion” under the Biden administration.
Putin, on the other hand, reaffirmedconfirmed that Russia would "not abandon its goals" and insisted on eliminating the "root causes" of the war—namely, Ukraine’s aspirations to join NATO, in his view. He also reaffirmed the continuation of the "special operation" and informed Donald Trump about a possible third round of talks with Ukraine, although no final dates had been agreed upon.
Moscow Strikes Ukraine After Putin–Trump Talks
Zelensky saidstated that the Russian Federation carried out a massive attack immediately following the Putin–Trump call in the early hours of July 4, calling it "one of the most large-scale strikes." Air raid sirens began sounding in sync with the start of the call.
Russia launched a record 550 targets—at least 330 of them were "Shahed" drones—and used various types of missiles, including Kinzhal ballistic missiles, Iskander cruise missiles, and guided aerial bombs. Ukrainian air defenses neutralized 478 drones and two missiles. In addition to Kyiv, the Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Kyiv regions were affected. The most intense strike targeted the capital, sparking dozens of fires and causing a high level of air pollution. Explosions rocked Kyiv for more than seven hours.
Zelensky stated that an attack following political contacts is a cynical signal through which Putin demonstrates his resolve and attempts to derail diplomatic efforts.
Trump–Zelensky Call
On July 4, President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone conversation. The call lasted about 40 minutes. Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak and Trump’s national security advisors also participated in the discussion.
Key topics of discussion: the urgent restoration of air defense supplies, particularly the Patriot systems; a continued strategy of support for Ukraine and cooperation with U.S. partners; and guarantees of uninterrupted military assistance, even if the U.S. temporarily focuses on restocking its own supplies.
The Office of the President reported that the tone of the conversation was constructive, and the Ukrainian side expressed gratitude for a "realistic approach."
New Group of Defenders Returned from Captivity
According to the “Istanbul Agreements,” was held prisoner exchange took place, during which Ukraine returned home military personnel from the Armed Forces, Territorial Defense, and National Guard.
Among those released were wounded, seriously ill, and young servicemen under the age of 25. The youngest is 20, the oldest is 59. Most had been held in captivity for more than three years. The list of those freed included officers, sergeants, and privates, as well as defenders of Mariupol who had been imprisoned since 2022. In addition to military personnel, unlawfully convicted Ukrainians and civilians deprived of liberty were also released. They had been defending the country on the Donetsk, Kharkiv, Luhansk, and Kherson fronts.
Photo: Oleksii Filippov / AFP via Getty Images
Author: Inna Mikhno