FRANCE PERSPECTIVE

Paris, July 4, 2026. On the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence, Vladimir Putin called Donald Trump for a discussion lasting 1 hour 25 minutes focused on Ukraine. According to Yuri Ushakov, diplomatic advisor to the Kremlin as cited by Ria Novosti, the two presidents "naturally discussed the question of a settlement in Ukraine, notably taking into account Trump's upcoming participation in the NATO summit in Turkey on July 7 and 8." Earlier that evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also announced he had spoken with Trump that same day.

From Moscow, the message on the balance of power was unambiguous: Putin "painted a picture of the real situation on the battlefield, where Russian armed forces are advancing confidently," according to Ushakov. This assertive rhetoric accompanies a major claim: Moscow states it has captured Kostyantynivka, a Donbas city of 78,000 prewar inhabitants, described as a key position on the road to Ukraine's remaining major eastern cities. "Kostyantynivka has been entirely captured," declared spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Putin, appearing in uniform before his military command, thanked soldiers and cited "major strategic importance." Kyiv formally denied the claim, stating that fighting continues there.

These diplomatic exchanges unfold amid intense violence. According to BFMTV, Russian strikes on Kyiv from July 1-2 caused at least 13 deaths and nearly 90 injured, marking the deadliest strike on the capital since 2022. Le Monde documented 496 drones and 74 missiles launched in a subsequent night operation, resulting in 31 deaths and 102 injured. In response, Kyiv struck the Saint Petersburg oil terminal and Kronstadt naval base; 72 drones were intercepted according to Governor Beglov, though one oil terminal was hit.

The call also covered Iran and the Middle East, according to the Kremlin.

On the eve of the NATO summit in Ankara, Paris assesses the concrete scope of this telephone diplomacy. The persistent discrepancy between Moscow's claims and Kyiv's denials—regarding both Kostyantynivka and strike casualties—underscores the opacity of the battlefield. At day 1,591 of the conflict, Trump says he aims to facilitate an agreement; yet the Kremlin, displaying "assured progress," signals no willingness to compromise on territory.