War in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin escapes any threat from Donald Trump, after a call without tangible results

Two hours of discussion and no concrete results. Yet, in Washington and Moscow, the new telephone conversation between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, on Monday, May 19, was presented in a favorable light, serving a different narrative. Neither leader wants to acknowledge a rupture and a failure in their rapprochement, while the American president is seeking in vain to obtain a prolonged ceasefire in Ukraine, or even a settlement of the conflict. "Big egos are involved, but I think something is going to happen ," Donald Trump explained that evening, "as if it were just a question of character. And if it doesn't happen, I'll simply step aside and they'll have to move on. Once again, this was a European matter and it should have remained a European matter."

In his earlier statement, Donald Trump did not even mention possible new sanctions against Russia, preferring instead to renew vague promises of prosperity and lucrative trade for all parties involved. The hard line advocated by the Europeans, based on a further tightening of sanctions, does not appear to be shared, at this stage, by the White House.

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