Russian President Vladimir Putin described his two-hour conversation with former U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday as “very frank” and “useful,” highlighting a renewed interest in pursuing peace amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. The discussion focused on identifying effective pathways toward resolving the conflict and reigniting direct dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv.
Speaking about the potential resumption of peace talks, Putin expressed cautious optimism. “The fact that Ukraine and Russia are considering direct negotiations gives us reason to believe we are on the right path,” he said. “Our position remains unchanged — the main goal is to address the root causes of the crisis. We just need to find the most effective means to move towards peace.”
Putin noted that Moscow is ready to cooperate with Kyiv on drafting a memorandum for a possible future peace agreement. He stated that during the call, Trump shared his views on a ceasefire, and in response, Putin reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to a peaceful resolution.
“We agreed with the U.S. President that Russia will propose and is prepared to work with the Ukrainian side on a memorandum that outlines the principles of a settlement, terms of a peace agreement, and potential conditions for a temporary ceasefire, provided appropriate agreements are reached,” Putin said.
He added that the conversation with Trump, which lasted over two hours, was constructive. “It was indeed very informative, very frank, and overall, very helpful in this context,” Putin remarked, thanking Trump for supporting the resumption of peace talks that, according to him, had been stalled by Ukraine since 2022.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded with cautious openness to the idea of a ceasefire. He expressed Ukraine’s willingness to pursue a “full and unconditional ceasefire,” a proposal initially introduced by Trump. However, Zelensky emphasized the need for Russia to back its intentions with real action.
“I don’t know exactly what Russia’s principles are. From our conversation with President Trump, we understood that Russia wants to send us a memo outlining their vision. They are not only asking for a ceasefire but proposing additional principles,” Zelensky said.
He reiterated Ukraine’s strong desire to end the conflict but stressed skepticism about Russia’s intentions. “We really want to finish this war — the losses are too great. But we’re not sure Russia is ready. That’s why we want them to show, with a ceasefire as a first step, that they are genuinely prepared to stop the war,” he added.
The renewed dialogue has sparked cautious hope for de-escalation, though both sides remain wary. As diplomatic efforts inch forward, the focus will now shift to whether meaningful steps follow the rhetoric — particularly from Moscow — to bring an end to the devastating conflict.