US President Donald Trump said ‘some progress has been made’ during his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday
Russia and Ukraine will “immediately” begin ceasefire negotiations, President Donald Trump said on Monday following separate calls with the leaders of both countries.
The US president had a two-hour phone call with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, and described the call as “excellent”, adding, “If it wasn’t, I would say so now, rather than later.”
Trump later told reporters that he believed Putin was serious about wanting peace.
“The conditions for that 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,” Trump said in a social media post.
It was not clear when or where any talks might take place or who would participate.
Trump also hinted at a trade deal between the US and Russia, adding: “Russia wants to do large-scale TRADE with the United States when this catastrophic ‘bloodbath’ is over, and I agree.”
Following the call, Putin said Moscow was ready to work to end the fighting in Ukraine, although he indicated there was no major breakthrough.
He described the call as a “very informative and very frank” conversation with Trump, adding: “At the same time, I would like to note that, in general, Russia’s position is clear. The main thing for us is to eliminate the root causes of this crisis.”
Zelenskyy spoke to Trump once shortly before the US leader spoke with Putin and once after. He reaffirmed to Trump that Ukraine is ready for a full and unconditional ceasefire.
He urged the international community to maintain pressure on Moscow if it refuses to halt its invasion, telling reporters that the US still needs to be “pressured” to agree to implement further sanctions.
The Ukrainian leader also made clear he would not be pulling troops out of their territory, adding that if Russia sets conditions for the withdrawal of troops, it proves they don’t want a ceasefire.
Zelenskyy told reporters discussions would take place about the future location of the next round of talks, which would be aimed at achieving a ceasefire. Turkey, Switzerland, and the Vatican were among the possible locations, he said.
As part of the same mission, Trump spoke with the President of the EU Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
European leaders also highlighted the need for stricter sanctions on Russia.
Writing on social media over the weekend, Trump said he hoped for a “productive Monday” and a ceasefire.
However, ahead of the call, Vice President JD Vance said Trump is “more than open” to walking away from trying to end the war if he feels Putin isn’t serious about negotiation.
“He’s grown weary and frustrated with both sides of the conflict,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday ahead of the call.
“He has made it clear to both sides that he wants to see a peaceful resolution and ceasefire as soon as possible.”
Trump has struggled to end the war that began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022, and that makes these conversations a serious test of his reputation as a dealmaker.
Before taking office, he claimed he would quickly settle the conflict once he was back in the White House.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
