US President Donald Trump has announced that Russia and Ukraine will “immediately start negotiations” toward a ceasefire, following a lengthy phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday.
“Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will begin immediately,” Trump posted on Truth Social shortly after his two-hour call with the Russian leader.
Speaking from Sochi, Putin echoed the sentiment, saying Russia was ready to work on a “memorandum on a possible future peace accord” with Ukraine. He added, “We have agreed with the President of the United States that Russia will propose and is ready to work with the Ukrainian side.”
While Kyiv has not officially responded, a source familiar with the matter confirmed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke briefly with Trump prior to the latter’s call with Putin. Ukraine has previously stated it is open to a ceasefire, whereas Moscow has continued to insist on preconditions.
The proposed memorandum would outline “principles of settlement” and timelines for a possible agreement, according to Putin, who emphasised the need to address the “root causes” of the conflict.
Trump, who has repeatedly vowed to end the war swiftly, revealed the Vatican had expressed interest in hosting the proposed talks, writing, “Let the process begin!”
The announcement comes days after direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv were held in Turkey—their first since 2022—though those talks ended without a breakthrough.
US Vice President JD Vance warned Washington could walk away from the peace process if Russia fails to demonstrate genuine commitment. “We’re going to try to end it,” Vance said in Italy, “but if we can’t, we’re eventually just going to say: ‘You know what? That was worth a try, but we’re not doing any more.’”
Despite European calls for tougher sanctions on Moscow, Trump appears to be positioning himself as a broker for peace. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump is “weary and frustrated with both sides of the conflict” and wants to see a ceasefire.
Putin, whose forces currently occupy around a fifth of Ukrainian territory, thanked Trump for supporting renewed talks, even as European leaders voiced concerns that Moscow may be stalling to avoid further sanctions.
Whether the renewed diplomacy will yield results remains uncertain, but both Trump and Putin appear intent on claiming the initiative in ending Europe’s most deadly conflict since World War Two.
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