'Putin is stalling' — Trump 'ceasefire' call met with skepticism in Kyiv

U.S. President Donald Trump said it was a "great call." A Kremlin aide declared the world had "become a much safer place."

But in Kyiv, the reaction to the call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 18 has been noticeably more muted.

“Judging by the news, there is nothing to comment on,” Mykyta Poturayev, a lawmaker from the Servant of the People party, told the Kyiv Independent when asked what he thought of the announcements made after the call.

The call was ostensibly to get Russia to agree to a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire, which Kyiv said it had agreed to, provided that Moscow did as well.

On March 13, Putin said Russia was ready to agree but then followed up with a list of demands that Kyiv and Washington must accommodate in order for Moscow to proceed with peace talks.

Putin once again failed to agree to the full ceasefire during the call with Trump, but the Kremlin did announce he had agreed to a limited 30-day halt on energy infrastructure strikes.

Despite this, Ukraine was hit by widespread drone attacks overnight.

It was also announced that there would be another prisoner swap, though these have occurred throughout Russia's full-scale invasion.

While the White House has been keen to project the call as a success, Ukrainian lawmakers the Kyiv Independent spoke to saw no real progress.

"Putin is trying to pass off what he needs as Trump's achievements."

"It looks like they just agreed to negotiate," Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, a lawmaker from the Holos party and chairman of the parliamentary committee on freedom of speech, said.

"Putin is trying to pass off what he needs as Trump's achievements — stopping attacks on energy infrastructure or exchanging hostages — and is stalling."

Following the call, the Kremlin also reiterated its demand for a complete halt to foreign military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, calling it a "key condition for avoiding an escalation of the war."

Yelyzaveta Yasko, a lawmaker from the Servant of the People party, told the Kyiv Independent that she didn't think anything of substance was announced except the prisoner exchange.

"I remain suspicious and skeptical about the signals, about the wording," she said in reference to the Kremlin's statements, adding she has "no hope" that Russia will abide by the 30-day truce on energy infrastructure attacks.

Both Yurchyshyn and Yasko believe that Trump is heading for some form of conflict with Putin as it becomes ever clearer the Kremlin has no real desire to stop the war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the Prosecutor-General’s Office board meeting in Moscow, Russia, on March 19, 2025. (Contributor / Getty Images)

"Putin is only just starting his communications with Trump, and he's trying to get as much as he can from all these talks and conversations," Yasko said.

"I think the harsh reality of their relationship hasn't started yet."

Yurchyshyn said Trump at this stage will "pass off anything as a success," adding: "Putin will definitely try to manipulate Trump's desire to achieve something quickly."

Despite the muted response in Kyiv, the White House remained upbeat the following day.

Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, told Bloomberg TV he was confident a full ceasefire could be reached "in a couple of weeks."

"So, lots of good things. Now, it's for the technical teams to dot the I's and cross the T's. And everybody is committed to that process," Witkoff said.

According to Witkoff, the next round of U.S.-Russia talks is set to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 23, and will be led by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

He did not confirm who would make up the Russian delegation this time but said the discussions would focus on key ceasefire details.

Witkoff emphasized that achieving a full ceasefire depends on the 2,000-kilometer front line where Ukrainian and Russian forces are engaged in combat, noting that conditions vary significantly along different sections.