Putin says he does not know whether Trump changed his position on Ukraine under pressure from Europe

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he does not know whether Donald Trump changed his position on the conflict in Ukraine under pressure from European leaders, and expressed doubt that this was even possible.

He made the remarks in an interview with Vesti journalist Pavel Zarubin.

“I know nothing about that. I doubt it’s possible… The President of the United States is a mature politician, an experienced politician — I believe he knows what he is doing,” Putin said.

Putin also noted that Russia is ready to continue discussions on the topics raised at the Anchorage summit, which was held in August 2025. The Russian president acknowledged, however, that no agreements were reached at those talks.

The question about Trump’s position was prompted by the G7 leaders’ summit held on June 15–17 in the French town of Évian-les-Bains. At that meeting, Trump agreed to the G7 declaration and announced his readiness to restore American sanctions against Russian oil, which had been suspended during the conflict with Iran. European leaders reportedly sought to persuade Trump to back their peace plans, which call for an immediate ceasefire and security guarantees for Ukraine.

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov had previously stated that Europeans were exerting a “unhelpful influence” on the U.S. president by “pumping” him full of “harmful ideas” and mistakenly believing that the situation on the front was shifting in Ukraine’s favor. The Kremlin assessed that this was hampering productive dialogue.

Trump has repeatedly stated his desire to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict and reported progress toward that goal, while noting that the situation had become significantly more complicated since the fighting began. His proposals have included the creation of a demilitarized zone and Ukraine’s long-term renunciation of NATO membership. Trump has also spoken of the possibility of imposing 100-percent tariffs on Russia if the conflict does not end within 50 days, and has expressed frustration with Russia’s actions as well as the “surprising” unwillingness of both sides to engage in dialogue at the same time.

Putin, for his part, has declared his readiness for a peaceful settlement and discussed possible options with Trump, but rejects proposals that do not take Russia’s interests into account, and has stated his intention to negotiate only after Ukraine withdraws from the territories it currently holds. Russia’s Foreign Ministry has emphasized that thorough preparation is needed for productive talks between the two countries’ leaders.