‘Knockout Victory’: Russian Broadcaster Says Trump-Putin Call ‘Completely Destroyed Zelensky’s Plans’ Before Meeting

FILE – President Donald Trump, right, shakes the hand of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin during a joint press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

On Tuesday, Russian broadcaster and propagandist Vladimir Solovyov said on his show that Russian President Vladimir Putin “achieved a knockout victory” prior to the latest meeting between U.S. and Ukrainian leadership, claiming that a phone call that took place between President Donald Trump and Putin “completely destroyed [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky’s plans.”

Trump met with Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, where he said they were “very close” to a peace deal in the four-year Russia-Ukraine war, adding that there are still “1-2 thorny issues,” one of which is land that remains ”up for grabs.”

Zelensky agreed, saying the two leaders agreed on 90% of his 20-point peace plan.

On Tuesday night’s episode of Evening with Vladimir Solovyov, the Kremlin promoter said, “We have achieved a knockout victory. We prepared on a grandmaster’s level on all the main points, and it worked.”

“Everything was extremely precise, and of course, Zelensky started to melt,” Solovyov added. “He melted down… The mood just wasn’t there.”

As Trump mentioned on Sunday, he and Putin were on the phone for more than two hours shortly before Zelensky arrived at Mar-a-Lago. He told reporters, “Russia wants it ended, everybody wants it ended,” and that the Russian president “wants to see” a peace deal finalized soon.

Trump also added that he planned to call Putin again after Zelensky’s departure.

According to Solovyov’s Tuesday commentary, the phone call between Moscow and Palm Beach “completely destroyed Zelensky’s plans.” He went as far as to insinuate that there was no point in the Ukrainian president even getting off the plane.

Just last Saturday, in a move that directly counters Putin’s alleged willingness to move towards peace, Russia hammered Ukraine’s capital city with missiles and attack drones, injuring at least 11 people and leaving almost a third of Kyiv without heat.