US President Donald Trump has claimed that his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin has prompted the initiative for `immediate' ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. He also stated that Washington and Moscow had agreed to pursue large-scale trade once the war concludes.
“Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a ceasefire and, more importantly, an end to the war,” Trump wrote on social media following a two-hour conversation with Putin on Monday.
Describing the call as “excellent,” Trump added: “Russia wants to do large-scale trade with the United States when this catastrophic ‘bloodbath’ is over, and I agree.”
In Moscow, Putin welcomed Trump’s involvement and expressed readiness for direct negotiations with Kyiv. “We have agreed with the President of the United States that Russia will propose and is ready to work with the Ukrainian side on a memorandum on a possible future peace accord,” Putin said, referring to potential terms including settlement principles and a timeline for a deal.
Putin added that if appropriate agreements are reached, a ceasefire could follow. He said direct negotiations with Ukraine gave reason to believe the process was “on the right track.”
“I would like to note that Russia’s position is clear,” he said. “The main thing for us is to eliminate the root causes of this crisis. We just need to determine the most effective ways to move towards peace.”
Trump said he had briefed several European leaders on the developments, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
He also said Pope Leo XIV, the newly elected US-born pontiff, “would be very interested” in hosting potential peace talks.
In Moscow, Putin welcomed Trump’s involvement and expressed readiness for direct negotiations with Kyiv.
“We have agreed with the President of the United States that Russia will propose and is ready to work with the Ukrainian side on a memorandum on a possible future peace accord,” Putin said, referring to potential terms including settlement principles and a timeline for a deal.
Putin added that if appropriate agreements are reached, a ceasefire could follow. He said direct negotiations with Ukraine gave reason to believe the process was “on the right track.”
“I would like to note that Russia’s position is clear,” he said. “The main thing for us is to eliminate the root causes of this crisis. We just need to determine the most effective ways to move towards peace.”
Prior to his conversation with Putin, Trump reportedly held a separate call with Zelensky, though neither Washington nor Kyiv officially confirmed it.
The outreach came amid escalating violence across Ukraine. On Sunday, Moscow launched its largest drone attack on Ukraine to date, sending 273 drones and killing at least one person.
Throughout his 2024 election campaign, Trump pledged to end the conflict swiftly, criticising its duration and cost. While he has yet to secure a breakthrough, last week saw some progress as delegates from Russia and Ukraine met in Istanbul for the first time since 2022. A US-backed 30-day ceasefire proposal in March was rejected by Putin.
Russia, which currently controls around one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory, has reiterated its demand that Kyiv abandon its NATO ambitions and withdraw from regions claimed by Moscow.
Following the Trump–Putin call, Zelensky again rejected these terms. “It’s our land; we won’t withdraw our troops from our territory,” he said on Monday. “It means they don’t want peace if they demand what they know we won’t agree to.”
On Monday, ahead of the call, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Beijing hoped Russia and Ukraine would “continue to negotiate through dialogue”.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held discussions on Sunday with Trump and the leaders of Italy, France and Germany regarding the war. Following the group call, Macron posted on social media: “President Putin must show he wants peace by accepting the 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposed by President Trump and backed by Ukraine and Europe.”
