Russian Officials Privately Mock Trump’s ‘Naïveté’ About Putin’s Real Goals, Intelligence Reports Reveal

British intelligence agencies have shared intercepted phone calls and messages from senior Russian officials with their American counterparts in which Kremlin figures are said to be privately mocking President Donald Trump.

In a report from The Spectator about the relationship between Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the exchanges were described by a senior security source as part of a broader effort by the United Kingdom to alert U.S. officials to what Western governments interpret as Russia’s continued misrepresentation of its own intentions.

“We have continually shown them intelligence that shows the Russians are lying,” the source told The Spectator, reflecting London’s concern that Moscow does not intend to pursue a genuine peace process in Ukraine despite public statements to the contrary.

The intercepted communications reportedly include senior Russian figures ridiculing Trump for his repeated public suggestions that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine, an assessment that Russian leaders allegedly privately dismiss as naïve, the security official said. “The Russians are privately mocking Trump over his naïveté about Putin’s intentions. Putin doesn’t want to end the war,” the official added.

Officials from both the U.K. and U.S. governments have not publicly confirmed the specific intelligence or attributed particular intercepts to identified Russian officials. Intelligence sharing between Five Eyes partners is a longstanding practice, particularly on issues involving Russian military operations and strategy. However, publicly acknowledging such sensitive material is rare and typically avoided by security services unless deemed necessary for strategic communication.

The reporting of internal Russian mockery comes as Trump’s approach to the Ukraine war continues to draw criticism from some allies. Trump has, at times, publicly reiterated claims that Putin wants to end the war. In March 2025, he told reporters that Putin was launching massive strikes on Ukraine, “what anybody would do,” and that he thought Russia might want to end the conflict, remarks that sparked controversy among European leaders and commentators.

Earlier this month, Trump told reporters on the White House lawn that “Russia wants to make a deal, and [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky’s gonna have to get moving — otherwise he’s going to miss a great opportunity. He has to move.”

Trump’s message reflects a broader U.S. diplomatic effort to push forward negotiations aimed at ending the war that erupted with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Despite numerous rounds of talks in cities like Abu Dhabi, concrete progress toward a ceasefire or lasting settlement has been elusive.

The recent series of trilateral talks involving Ukrainian, American, and Russian delegations yielded only a limited prisoner exchange and no substantial breakthroughs on core issues such as territorial control, security guarantees, and sovereignty concerns. According to the BBC, the terms of the agreement specify that both Russia and Ukraine will release 157 prisoners of war each, split evenly between the sides, totaling 314. The swap took place shortly after the conclusion of the second day of trilateral talks in the UAE capital.

Reporting from Reuters notes that Ukrainian and Russian negotiators continue to disagree over territorial control and the future status of contested regions in eastern Ukraine. European leaders and NATO allies have repeatedly emphasized that any peace settlement must fully respect international law and Ukraine’s right to self-determination, even as they work with Washington on diplomatic strategy.

In an interview with The Atlantic earlier this month, Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine is backing U.S. proposals designed to advance peace talks and accelerate a potential agreement. He also stressed Ukraine’s willingness to pursue elections and broader democratic processes once an effective ceasefire and international guarantees are in place.

Russia’s official stance remains cautious. Kremlin representatives claim readiness for dialogue under terms that safeguard Moscow’s strategic interests, though specifics on Russia’s negotiation positions remain limited in public forums. In December, U.S. officials told the Associated Press, under the condition of anonymity, that Russia signaled it wouldn’t object to Ukraine joining the European Union as a potential peace settlement.