U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday announced that Russia and Ukraine would begin immediate ceasefire negotiations after what he described as an "excellent" two-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The high-level call, confirmed by both leaders, marks a potential breakthrough following months of deadlock in efforts to end the war in Ukraine, which began in February 2022. Trump also spoke separately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders. In a post on social media, Trump said, "The conditions for that [ceasefire] will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of." Putin confirmed the conversation took place, describing it as "very informative and very frank," while reiterating Russia's readiness to continue dialogue. He said Moscow would propose a memorandum as a framework for a future peace treaty. "The main thing for us is to eliminate the root causes of this crisis," Putin said. The diplomatic flurry came days after the first direct Russia–Ukraine peace talks since 2022 were held in Istanbul, resulting in an agreement for a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange. No ceasefire was agreed during that round, but Kyiv has indicated willingness to pursue negotiations further. Vice President JD Vance said Trump was "more than open" to walking away from peace efforts if either side, particularly Russia, was not negotiating in good faith. "He's grown weary and frustrated with both sides of the conflict," said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. "He wants to see a peaceful resolution and ceasefire as soon as possible." Trump suggested the Vatican could host future talks but said no final venue had been confirmed. He emphasized that while he hoped for resolution, he was also prepared for failure. "At least we'll know," he told reporters aboard Air Force One. "And if we don't solve it, it'll be very interesting." Zelenskyy, who met with Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Rome on Sunday, expressed cautious optimism. In a post on X, he said Ukraine remains committed to "real diplomacy" and stressed the need for continued international pressure on Moscow. "We need sanctions, trade and defense cooperation, and humanitarian agreements like prisoner exchanges until Russia stops the war," he said. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European leaders also spoke with Trump on Sunday to coordinate positions ahead of the U.S.–Russia call. Despite cautious optimism from both sides, neither has indicated a willingness yet to compromise on the central issue of territory — a key stumbling block in previous negotiations. Still, Monday's developments signal the most significant diplomatic momentum in months. — Agencies
