Putin describes Trump call as ‘very useful’; US president says ceasefire talks to begin immediately

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday said he held a “very useful” and “informative” phone call with US President Donald Trump on resolving the war in Ukraine, while Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine would “immediately start negotiations toward a ceasefire.”

“It was very informative and very open and overall, in my opinion, very useful,” Russian state media quoted Putin as saying after the call, which lasted more than two hours.

According to The Guardian report, Kremlin, however, refused to agree to a ceasefire, despite mounting pressure from Washington.

Speaking to reporters in Sochi, Putin described the exchange as “very meaningful and frank,” and expressed a willingness to work with Kyiv on drafting a memorandum for future peace talks.

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However, he declined to commit to the temporary ceasefire that US officials had framed as a central objective of the discussion.

While Putin reiterated that Russia supports halting hostilities, he stressed the need to “develop the most effective paths toward peace.”

Significantly, he again pointed to what he called the “root causes” of the war — echoing longstanding Kremlin demands that critics say would severely compromise Ukraine’s sovereignty.

These include the demilitarisation and “de-Nazification” of Ukraine, curbing Western military support, and imposing strict limitations on the country’s independence.

Putin also thanked Trump for supporting the resumption of direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv, and said that Trump noted Russia’s support for peace, though the key question was how to move towards peace.

“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, defining a number of positions, such as, for example, the principles of settlement, the timing of a possible peace agreement,” The Guardian quoted Putin as telling reporters near the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

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Putin said that a ceasefire could be possible if suitable agreements are reached, adding that the ongoing direct talks between Russia and Ukraine “give reason to believe that we are generally on the right track.”

“I would like to note that, on the whole, Russia’s position is clear. 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,” he added.

Meanwhile, in a post on Truth Social, Trump said his call with Putin “went very well” and Russia and Ukraine “will immediately start negotiations toward a ceasefire”.

“Just completed my two hour call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. I believe it went very well. Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War. 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. The tone and spirit of the conversation were excellent. If it wasn’t, I would say so now, rather than later,” he posted on Truth Social.

Trump went on to say that Russia “wants to do large scale trade” with the US once the war is over, and that Ukraine could also benefit greatly from trade.

“Russia wants to do largescale TRADE with the United States when this catastrophic “bloodbath” is over, and I agree. There is a tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth. Its potential is UNLIMITED. Likewise, Ukraine can be a great beneficiary on Trade, in the process of rebuilding its Country. Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will begin immediately,” he added.

He said he had informed Zelenskyy as well as the leaders of the EU, France, Italy, Germany and Finland, immediately after the call with Putin. He added that the Vatican had expressed interest in hosting the negotiations.

“I have so informed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, President Emmanuel Macron, of France, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, of Italy, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, of Germany, and President Alexander Stubb, of Finland, during a call with me, immediately after the call with President Putin. The Vatican, as represented by the Pope, has stated that it would be very interested in hosting the negotiations. Let the process begin!” wrote the US president.

Before speaking to Putin, Trump had briefly spoken to President Zelenskyy, Reuters quoted a source familiar with the matter as saying.

Trump called Zelenskyy “for a few minutes” before his call with the Kremlin leader, the source added.

Zelensky later said that he asked Trump not to make decisions about Ukraine “without us” before the US president held a call with Putin.

“I asked him not to make any decisions about Ukraine without us before his conversation with Putin,” AFP quoted Zelensky as telling reporters.

“These are matters of principle for us and very important,” he added.

Zelensky also said he has no detail on negotiating peace memorandum but will look at Russia draft.

Meanwhile, he also said that Ukrainian and Russian negotiators held a call on Monday on a major prisoner exchange agreed at Istanbul talks between Kyiv and Moscow last week.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umerov “got in touch with” Russia’s chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, with the pair discussing the dates and details of the plan for each side to swap 1000 POWs.

Trump, who has promised to bring a swift end to Europe’s deadliest war since World War Two, has repeatedly called for a ceasefire after years in which Washington joined other Western countries in arming Ukraine.

Under pressure from Trump, delegates from the warring countries met last week in Istanbul for the first time since 2022, though they failed to agree to a truce. Kyiv says it is ready for a ceasefire now; Moscow says conditions must be met first.

European leaders have said they want the United States to join them in imposing tough new sanctions on Russia for refusing a ceasefire. The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Italy spoke to Trump on Sunday ahead of his call with Putin.

Shortly before the call, Vance told reporters that Washington recognised there was “a bit of an impasse here”.

“And I think the president’s going to say to President Putin: ‘Look, are you serious? Are you real about this?’” Vance said as he prepared to depart from Italy.

“I think honestly that President Putin, he doesn’t quite know how to get out of the war,” Vance said.

He said it “takes two to tango. I know the President’s willing to do that, but if Russia is not willing to do that, then we’re eventually just going to say, this is not our war.”

“We’re going to try to end it, but if we can’t end it, we’re eventually going to say: ‘You know what? That was worth a try, but we’re not doing any more.’”

With inputs from agencies