Trump Said Peace in Ukraine Would Come Easy. It Hasn’t.

• May 23, 2025

President Trump once approached the challenge of ending Russia’s war in Ukraine as a straight-ahead deal that he could achieve easily. But after months of trying, he’s signaling that he might actually walk away.

Michael Crowley, who covers U.S. foreign policy for The New York Times, discusses the recent phone call between Mr. Trump and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, and what it tells us about how the conflict could end.

Guest: Michael Crowley, a reporter covering the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• Mr. Trump’s new position on the war in Ukraine: Not my problem.
• In his call with Mr. Trump, Mr. Putin notched a diplomatic win, with an economic caveat.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Photo: Tyler Hicks/The New York Times

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