WASHINGTON D.C. – US President Donald Trump announced on Monday, 19 May 2025, that Russia and Ukraine would “immediately start negotiations toward a ceasefire” following a two-hour phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
However, this optimistic assertion was met with a more guarded stance from Moscow, which emphasised a longer process and stopped short of committing to an immediate cessation of hostilities, drawing a spectrum of reactions from Kyiv and international partners.
Divergent Accounts from Washington and Moscow
Following the much-anticipated call, President Trump described it as “excellent” and took to his Truth Social platform to declare: “Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War.” He added later at the White House that he thought “some progress is being made.”
In contrast, President Putin characterised the discussion as “very meaningful and frank.” While he confirmed Russia’s readiness to “work with the Ukrainian side on a memorandum on a possible future peace accord,” he did not echo Trump’s immediacy regarding a ceasefire.
Instead, Putin reiterated Moscow’s long-standing position that any resolution must address the “root causes” of the conflict, a term previously used by Russia to encompass demands such as Ukraine’s neutrality and demilitarisation. According to reports, Putin did not agree to a US-proposed 30-day unconditional ceasefire during the call.
The Kremlin further tempered expectations, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating that Moscow and Kyiv faced “complex contacts” to develop a unified text for any peace memorandum.
“There are no deadlines and there cannot be any,” Peskov was quoted by Russian state news agencies. “It is clear everyone wants to do this as quickly as possible but, of course, the devil is in the details.” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov also confirmed that a timeline for a ceasefire was not discussed by the two leaders.
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US Position and Future Involvement
President Trump suggested that the specifics of any peace deal would be determined by the “warring parties,” stating, “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.” He also mentioned that Pope Leo had expressed interest in the Vatican hosting future negotiations.
Significantly, Trump indicated a potential shift in US involvement, warning that if progress is not made, “I’m just going to back away and they’ll have to keep going,” adding, “This is not my war.”
This sentiment was underscored by his decision not to immediately impose fresh sanctions on Russia, a measure he had previously threatened. “Because I think there’s a chance of getting something done, and if you do that, you can also make it much worse,” Trump explained, though he conceded, “But there could be a time where that’s going to happen.”
US Vice-President JD Vance, speaking before the call, had stated that Trump would press Putin on his seriousness about ending the war and also raised the possibility of the US stepping away from the talks.
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Kyiv’s Stance: Open to Talks, Firm on Sovereignty
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to the developments by affirming Ukraine’s readiness for direct negotiations with Russia “in any format that brings results” and for a full ceasefire. He suggested that such talks could be hosted by Turkey, the Vatican, or Switzerland and proposed a high-level meeting involving Ukraine, Russia, the US, EU countries, and Britain.
However, Zelenskyy also issued a firm warning: “If the Russians are not ready to stop the killings, there must be stronger sanctions. Pressure on Russia will push it toward real peace.” He explicitly rejected Russian demands for Ukrainian troop withdrawals from regions Moscow claims to have annexed, stating, “No one will withdraw our troops from our territories.”
Concerned about potential US disengagement, Zelenskyy emphasised, “It’s crucial for all of us that the United States does not distance itself from the talks and the pursuit of peace.” A source from the President’s Office indicated that Ukraine continues to push for a full, unconditional ceasefire.
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European Allies Urge Pressure, Mixed Views on Call’s Outcome
The phone call and its aftermath have elicited varied responses from European leaders. Following a briefing by President Trump, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that European leaders had decided to increase pressure on Russia through sanctions. However, Trump did not appear immediately inclined to join this effort, a stance that reportedly “shocked” some participants in his call with European and Ukrainian leaders.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described her conversation with Trump as “good” and stressed that it was “important that the US stays engaged.” Prior to the Trump-Putin call, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had engaged in discussions with US, Italian, French, and German leaders to coordinate efforts for an unconditional ceasefire.
Not all interpretations were optimistic. Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt commented on X that the call was “undoubtedly a win for Putin,” arguing that the Russian leader “deflected the call for an immediate ceasefire and instead can continue military operations at the same time as he puts pressure on at the negotiating table.”
The diplomatic flurry occurred days after Russian and Ukrainian delegations met in Istanbul for their first direct talks since March 2022. Those discussions concluded without a breakthrough on a truce, with Russia reportedly demanding further territorial concessions. The day before the Trump-Putin call, Russia launched what was described as its largest drone strike of the war on Ukrainian cities.
Image: France24
