In this video, we use a real news story to help you learn 21 useful English vocabulary words and phrases. Leaders like President Trump, President Putin, President Zelenskyy, and the newly elected Pope Leo XIV are all involved in urgent peace talks — and you’ll learn the English words that news reporters are using to talk about it.
You’ll learn how to use terms like “attempt,” “bloodbath,” “trust,” “vowed,” “allies,” and more — all in the context of a real story from this week.
This lesson is perfect for English learners who want to understand the news in English and improve their vocabulary fast.
Level: A2–B1 (Intermediate)
Teacher: American English with Brent
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Putin and Trump Talk Peace

1. Attempt
: A try to do something.
: Trump made another attempt to bring peace between Russia and Ukraine.
2. Bloodbath
: A situation where many people are killed.
: Zelenskyy warned that a new attack could turn into a bloodbath.
3. Progress
: Moving forward or improving.
: Leaders said there was some progress after the phone call between Trump and Putin.
4. Emerge
: To come out or become known.
: A new peace plan started to emerge after the talks in Rome.
5. Vowed
: Promised strongly.
: JD Vance vowed to support a peaceful solution.
6. Pull back
: To move away or reduce military actions.
: Russia agreed to pull back some troops near the border.
7. Back away
: To step away or not continue.
: Ukraine will not back away from protecting its land.
8. Trust
: To believe someone is honest or will do the right thing.
: Trust between the leaders is still low, but growing.
9. Obvious
: Easy to see or understand.
: It’s obvious that both sides are tired of the war.
10. Floating the idea
: Gently suggesting something.
: Pope officials are floating the idea of hosting more peace talks at the Vatican.
11. Pope Leo the XIV
: The new pope elected back on May 8, 2025
: Pope Leo the XIV met with Zelenskyy and offered to help with the talks.
12. Vatican
: The city in Rome where the Pope lives.
: The peace talks in the Vatican showed a new level of hope.
13. Significance
: Importance.
: The call between Trump and Putin had great significance for ending the war.
14. Stark contrast
: A clear and big difference.
: There was a stark contrast between Putin’s tone and Trump’s hopeful message.
15. Ungrateful
: Not showing thanks.
: Some called Ukraine ungrateful after JD Vance asked for more proof of progress.
16. Constructive
: Helpful or positive.
: The leaders had a constructive conversation during the call.
17. Commitment
: A promise to keep doing something.
: Trump showed commitment to helping end the war.
18. Force their hand
: To make someone do something.
: The growing violence may force Putin’s hand to accept a deal.
19. Allies
: Friends or partners in war or politics.
: Ukraine’s allies, including the U.S., are still supporting them.
20. Stepped up
: Took more responsibility or helped more.
: JD Vance stepped up and spoke directly to Zelenskyy about the conflict.
21. Concern
: Worry or fear.
: There is concern that the peace talks could fail without real action.