US President Donald Trump described his recent phone conversation with Vladimir Putin as “disappointing” while praising his follow-up call with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “very good and strategic.”

Trump spoke with Zelenskyy on 4 July and told journalists aboard Air Force One that he was pleased with this recent conversation.

Zelenskyy described their discussion as a “very important and fruitful conversation” covering Ukraine’s air defense needs, joint defense production and “mutual procurement and investment.”

Trump echoed the positive tone, telling reporters: “I think it was a very good conversation, a very strategic conversation.”

What did Trump say about continued military aid? Despite the pause, he indicated support would resume: “We have been helping them and will continue to help.” However, it is unclear what kind of support he is referring to here. 

When pressed specifically about Patriot air defense systems, Trump suggested the possibility remained open, responding “Yes, maybe” to questions about future deliveries.

Trump says Putin doesn’t want to end war and killing

The call with Zelenskyy occurred just one day after a disappointing conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin that failed to advance Trump’s goal of ending the war.

How badly did that Putin call go?

“I was very disappointed” with the conversation, he told reporters early Friday morning. “I don’t think he [Putin] is looking to stop” the war.

Trump’s frustration showed through repeated criticism. “I was not happy with the conversation,” he said, later adding that Putin “seems he wants to go to the very end and continue killing people. That’s not good. That’s bad. I was dissatisfied.”

Trump has long promised to end the war quickly—famously claiming during his campaign he could do so within 24 hours. But the war continues, and Trump appears increasingly frustrated with Putin’s refusal to cooperate in negotiations.

Trump also acknowledged the complexity without offering specifics: “The situation is quite complex. We’ll see what happens next.”

Russia terrorizes civilians in Kyiv right after Trump’s call with Putin

On 4 July, just hours after a phone call between Trump and Putin, Russia launched one of the largest air assaults of the war on Kyiv, deploying a record wave of 550 air attack assets, including 539 Shahed-type drones and multiple ballistic and cruise missiles.

The attack caused widespread destruction across Kyiv and surrounding oblasts, damaging over 30 apartment buildings, educational institutions, and infrastructure, resulting in two deaths and at least 31 injuries, including a 10-year-old girl.

Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 478 aerial threats, but none of the ballistic missiles were stopped, highlighting Ukraine’s depleted missile defense capabilities amid paused US resupplies.