U.S. President Donald Trump announced Monday that Russia and Ukraine will “immediately start negotiations” toward a ceasefire, following a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will begin immediately,” Trump posted on Truth Social, shortly after concluding a two-hour conversation with the Russian leader.
Speaking from Sochi, Putin confirmed the development, saying Russia is prepared to begin discussions on a “memorandum for a possible future peace accord” with Ukraine. “We have agreed with the President of the United States that Russia will propose and is ready to work with the Ukrainian side,” Putin stated.
While Kyiv has yet to issue an official statement, a source close to the matter confirmed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a brief call with Trump before the latter’s conversation with Putin. Ukraine has signaled willingness to consider a ceasefire in the past, though Russia has consistently demanded preconditions before engaging in negotiations.
According to Putin, the proposed memorandum would lay out “principles of settlement” and a potential timeline for peace, with a focus on addressing the “root causes” of the conflict.
Trump, who has repeatedly pledged to end the war swiftly if re-elected, said the Vatican had expressed interest in hosting the potential talks. “Let the process begin!” he declared.
The announcement follows a recent round of direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv in Turkey—their first face-to-face engagement since 2022—which concluded without significant progress.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, speaking from Italy, warned that Washington’s support for the talks would be contingent on Moscow’s seriousness. “We’re going to try to end it,” he said, “but if we can’t, we’re eventually just going to say: ‘That was worth a try, but we’re not doing any more.’”
Despite renewed pressure from European allies to tighten sanctions on Russia, Trump appears focused on brokering a diplomatic breakthrough. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president is “weary and frustrated with both sides” and is pushing for a path to peace.
Putin, whose military continues to occupy roughly 20% of Ukraine’s territory, thanked Trump for his role in restarting dialogue. However, some European leaders remain skeptical, cautioning that Moscow may be using negotiations to buy time and delay further international penalties.