THE Kremlin has reportedly given the Russian state media a Soviet-style guide to stop talking about Donald Trump and make him "look weak". The highly-controlled media outlets have been ordered not to show Trump as a "strong leader" who is capable of putting an end to the Ukraine war. The Soviet-style guide also asks the Russian media to stop using Trump's name in media reports. And they must report that Putin is the one controlling the peace deal narrative and taking charge of any interactions with Trump.
![[A Ukrainian serviceman firing a self-propelled howitzer.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/serviceman-24th-mechanized-brigade-named-950381016.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
They should emphasise that Putin will get what he wants from any talks. One source from Russia said: " “In that scenario, the [Russian] president would be the side guided by someone else, and therefore the weak side,” said a source.". Political experts say these propaganda orders from the Russian government seem to show Putin’s fear of Trump who has made it his priority to put an end to the war.
![[Vladimir Putin at a meeting.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/epa11895479-russian-president-vladimir-putin-971974236.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The dictator is said to be "concerned" that Russians may begin to perceive Trump as a more proactive and decisive politician than Putin. A report from Russian independent media said: "[The Kremlin] demands to emphasise that the outcome of any talks with their American counterpart depends on the Russian president. "The Kremlin does not want Trump to be presented to Russian citizens as a ‘strong leader capable of changing the situation’.
![[Photo of Donald Trump at a news conference.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/infrastructure-took-questions-range-topics-971983539.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
“The [Russian] president would be...the weak party. “So it turns out that Putin couldn’t do it, but Trump could. No one needs that kind of picture.”. One Russian news outlet reported that “Trump agreed with Putin” on Ukraine. Another outlet Moskovsky Komsomolets wrote that Trump is interested in making peace "just like Putin". Editors are also ordered to avoid portraying Trump as a clean brush sweeping away the old order, in case it gives Russians any ideas about Putin’s regime which has ruled for a quarter of a century.
![[Illustration of a proposed Ukraine peace plan map showing territorial divisions and troop deployments.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/VP-06_02-ukraine-peace-plan-v2-map.webp?strip=all&w=620)
It comes as Putin agreed the "war must end" after Donald Trump went past Ukraine and European leaders to do business directly with the Kremlin. The chat is believed to be Putin's first confirmed direct contact with a US president since the start of the war in February 2022. The call reportedly lasted for around an hour and a half, according to the Kremlin. They said the topics centred on sorting out "peaceful negotiations" to end the Ukraine conflict.
![[Self-propelled howitzer firing.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/image_03d0c9.png?strip=all&w=619)
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the Russian president invited Trump to visit Moscow with American officials soon. Trump has repeatedly claimed in the past the war "never would have happened" if he had been president when Putin first threatened to invade. Kyiv later confirmed a call had also taken place between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump. Zelensky posted a defiant message on X after the call.
![[Military vehicle moving through a wooded area.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/image_d7c5ff.png?strip=all&w=620)
"No one wants peace more than Ukraine. Together with the US, we are charting our next steps to stop Russian aggression and ensure a lasting, reliable peace," he said. "As President Trump said, let’s get it done.". The conversation lasted an hour and immediately followed Trump's chat with Putin. Trump left a similarly glowing review of the chat with Ukraine's leader as he said the "conversation went very well.".
![[Soldiers with rifles in a military vehicle.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/image_3f81ad.png?strip=all&w=620)
President Zelensky today met up with US Vice President JD Vance in Munich for crunch talks over ending the war. They were seen speaking together alongside both Washington and Kyiv delegations as they discussed the latest developments in the bloody conflict. Footage of the historic meeting saw Donald Trump's number two explain that the goal remains the same between both America and Ukraine - to stop the war.
He said: "Fundamentally, the goal is as President Trump outlined - that we want the war to come to a close. "We want the killing to stop but we want to achieve a durable lasting peace, not the kind of peace that's going to have Eastern Europe in conflict just a couple of years down the road.". He also vowed that the two nations would continue to have conversations in the coming days, weeks and months.
Zelensky echoed these thoughts as he thanked America for their support. The heroic leader said he hopes to continue on with the positive conversations as they prepare a "plan on how to stop Putin and finish the war". Both Vance and Zelensky have already spent the day voicing their hopes over a potential deal between Kyiv, Moscow and now Washington. Zelesnky warned the West that Vladimir Putin is preparing to unleash a war against Nato in the next 12 months.