Behind closed doors, Donald Trump has been telling European leaders that Vladimir Putin remains confident about winning the war in Ukraine—a stark departure from his public claims that the Russian leader desires peace.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump made these remarks during a private call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

A Shift in Tone—But No Shift in Policy

While Trump privately acknowledged Putin’s unwillingness to end the war, he has yet to impose new sanctions or take concrete action—despite repeated pleas from European leaders.

Just a day before the call, Trump had suggested to Macron, Merz, Meloni, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer that he *might* consider sanctions if Putin rejected a ceasefire. Instead, he pushed for accelerated low-level Ukraine-Russia talks, proposing the Vatican as a neutral venue.

European leaders, who had spent days pressuring Trump to leverage U.S. influence, left the call frustrated. Trump repeatedly deflected responsibility, stating, *“This isn’t my war. We got ourselves entangled in something we shouldn’t have been involved in.”

The "Unconditional" Ceasefire Debate

Some European leaders insisted any Vatican-mediated talks include an *unconditional* ceasefire—a term Trump later denied endorsing, despite using it explicitly in a May 8 *Truth Social* post. After pushback, the Europeans dropped the demand.

Europe’s Harder Line Under Chancellor Merz

The diplomatic pressure intensified after Friedrich Merz became Germany’s chancellor in early May. Unlike his predecessor, Merz has taken a tougher stance against Putin, even amending Germany’s constitution to boost military spending.

On May 10, Merz, Macron, Starmer, and Polish PM Donald Tusk made a surprise visit to Kyiv, where they called Trump directly and warned that Europe would impose fresh sanctions if Russia refused a 30-day ceasefire.

Putin responded by offering direct talks with Ukraine—the first in three years. Trump eagerly supported the idea, even suggesting he might attend in person. But when negotiations were held in Istanbul, Putin sent low-level envoys instead, reiterating demands Ukraine had already rejected.

Sanctions on the Horizon?

Following Putin’s no-show, European leaders urged Trump to take stronger action. While minor sanctions were passed, more significant measures remain under discussion.

Trump, meanwhile, scheduled another call with Putin, insisting that a peace deal required direct dialogue between them. During a separate discussion with European leaders, he floated the idea of joint U.S.-EU sanctions on Russian oil and banks—a proposal backed by Senator Lindsey Graham, who claims to have secured 81 co-sponsors for a related bill.

Trump’s Trademark Bluntness

The call wasn’t without classic Trump moments. He complimented Merz’s English (“I love it even more with your German accent”) but then pivoted to criticizing Europe’s migration policies, claiming their nations were on the “brink of collapse.”Macron, familiar with Trump’s style, cut in: “You cannot insult our nations, Donald.”

Despite the friction, some leaders held out hope Trump would back sanctions if Putin refused peace. But with Vatican talks now set for mid-June, expectations remain low.