In yet another display of power dynamics, Russian President Vladimir Putin kept U.S. President Donald Trump waiting for over an hour before their scheduled high-stakes phone call regarding the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war. The delay, caught on video, quickly went viral, fueling social media debates and reinforcing perceptions of Putin’s dominance in diplomatic engagements.
The two leaders were supposed to connect earlier, but Putin remained occupied at an industrial conference in Moscow. When reminded of his scheduled call with Trump, the Russian leader smirked and shrugged, eliciting laughter from those around him. The video showed Putin seemingly unbothered by the delay.
According to reports, Putin finally reached the Kremlin around 5 p.m., an hour past the agreed time. Despite the delay, the call lasted for approximately 90 minutes.
The much-anticipated call, however, yielded little progress on de-escalating the war. Trump and his administration had pushed for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, a proposal already backed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. But Putin refused the request, agreeing only to limit attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure—a far cry from the broader ceasefire Washington had hoped for.
The Kremlin later issued a statement portraying the agreement as a mutual understanding, though the details remained vague. Meanwhile, the White House’s version of events suggested a broader agreement encompassing Ukraine’s general infrastructure—an interpretation that analysts suspect Moscow will not adhere to.
This is not the first time Putin has made a point of keeping Trump or his envoys waiting. Reports indicate that Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, was left waiting for eight hours before meeting the Russian president in Moscow last week.
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