Trump phones a friend.
The following script would be rejected by a “B List” Hollywood producer:
“Picture this, in the middle of a high-stakes peace conference at the White House with European heads of state, the President of the US takes a break to call the president of Russia for instructions on how to deal with America’s allies, who are sitting patiently in the East Room of the White House awaiting the president’s return.”
Yep. That happened! See Wall Street Journal, Trump Pauses White House Meeting, Saying He's Going to Call Putin.
The meeting in the White House on Monday was bizarre. It was supposed to focus on bringing an end to the war in Ukraine. Instead, it focused on assuaging Trump's massive ego and fragile feelings. The NYTimes described the ludicrous scene as follows,
Around the table they [European leaders] went, thanking him [Trump] for all that he had done while ever so gently slipping in their specific pleas for a lasting security guarantee in Ukraine and an immediate cease-fire. This delicate dance seemed momentarily at risk when the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, insisted a bit more forcefully than the others that a cease-fire was of paramount importance. . . . [and] the smile left Mr. Trump’s face. [¶] The European leaders in the State Dining Room were there to manage a global crisis. Which meant they also had to manage the mood of one famously mercurial man. The subject of this high-level diplomatic summit was diplomacy mixed with psychology.
See NYTimes, At White House Summit, a Master Class of Diplomacy. In Courting Trump.
Instead of focusing on peace, the meeting focused on stroking Trump's ego so that he would not fly off the handle and do something crazy—like calling Putin for advice during the meeting with European allies.
Trump's defenders claim he called Putin to arrange a “trilateral meeting” that would include Putin, Zelensky, and Trump. The likelihood of such a meeting occurring is effectively zero, so Trump's call to Putin was pointless, unless Putin was giving Trump instructions on how to respond to reporters’ questions.
The Russian Constitution recognizes the conquered Ukrainian territory as part of Russia, and Putin does not recognize Zelensky as a legitimate leader of Ukraine. See Moscow Times, (5/15/25), Behind the Diplomatic Curtain: Why Putin Refused to Meet Zelensky in Istanbul. (“Putin does not see Zelensky as his equal and will only agree to meet him in the event of his "public capitulation.”)
So, what was accomplished at the White House meeting on Monday? The outcome is best described by what did not happen: Trump did not abuse Zelensky. Trump did not issue new demands for Ukraine to surrender territory (although Trump maintained his existing demands that Ukraine surrender Crimea). Trump did not further alienate European allies.
The only real accomplishment was that European leaders were able to successfully prevent Trump from acting like a petulant toddler by telling him that he was “the most special little boy in all the world.” How far the mighty US presidency has fallen!
[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]