As Trump called ... Russians feel Vladimir Putin has won first round ... in international diplomacy vis-a-vis Ukraine !!

“A direct call with Donald Trump was precisely what Vladimir Putin had been waiting for,” said a source in the Russian foreign policy establishment, reports London's 'The Guardian'.

“It is only the start of the negotiations, but Putin has won the first round,” the source added.

 Vladimir Putin on Wednesday (Feb 12) achieved his most significant diplomatic breakthrough yet in a three-year war that, at times, seemed to threaten his regime.

During his 90-minute call with Donald Trump, Putin felt his long-sought vision taking shape: two great powers determining Ukraine’s fate over Kyiv’s head –and that of its European allies.  

Despite catastrophic setbacks at the start of his invasion, record losses, and mounting economic strain, the Russian president will feel that momentum has firmly shifted in his favour, with growing hopes in Moscow that the Trump administration could help achieve Russia’s objectives in Ukraine.

“Putin remained patient and didn’t bend. Instead, he waited for the world to change around him,” the foreign policy source said, referring to Trump’s election and his administration’s radically different foreign policy outlook.

The call between the two leaders took place just hours after the US defence secretary told officials in Brussels that Ukraine would need to abandon its ambitions of joining NATO and accept territorial losses, effectively conceding to some of Russia’s demands even before negotiations began.  

Viewed as a whole, the rapidly unfolding events will probably be seen in Moscow as the culmination of Putin’s months-long diplomatic overtures to Trump, during which he lauded the president’s braveness and intelligence and echoed some of his favourite narratives, including unfounded claims that the 2020 US election was stolen from Trump.

“Now, Putin’s main focus is Trump – everyone else is irrelevant,” the foreign policy source said. 

“His next move is to secure a closed-door meeting with Trump, where he can further press his case,” the source added, saying they believed the two leaders could soon meet for a summit in Saudi Arabia, 'The Guardian' reports.