Democrat on Trump-Putin call: ‘Russia remains the obstacle to peace’

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said it’s clear that Russia “remains the obstacle to peace” following a highly anticipated phone call between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

“From these readouts, it’s clear that Russia remains the obstacle to peace in Europe,” Coons said in a post on the social platform X.

Trump and Putin spoke for nearly three hours on Tuesday, amid the Trump administration’s push to secure Moscow’s agreement to a 30-day ceasefire in its war against Ukraine, which backed the proposal last week.

Putin rejected the proposal on the call Tuesday, according to the Kremlin’s readout of the call, but responded positively to Trump’s proposal of a more limited 30-day ceasefire on energy facilities on both sides of the conflict. 

“We agreed to an immediate Ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump said Tuesday afternoon on Truth Social.

Putin also laid down some steep demands for broader peace talks, such as the “complete cessation of foreign military assistance and the provision of intelligence information to Kyiv,” according to Moscow’s readout. 

Coons said on Tuesday that these demands are unrealistic and make it clear that Russia is the player holding up progress toward ending the war.

“I’m glad to see a halt on infrastructure strikes, but many of Putin’s ‘requests’ like a ban on arms or intel sharing make clear what he is after — a neutered Ukraine that cannot defend itself,” Coons wrote.

The U.S., in its readout, said negotiations on a broader ceasefire and peace deal would begin immediately in the Middle East.