Following a two-hour phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia is prepared to collaborate with Ukraine on drafting a memorandum for a future peace accord. Putin described the current diplomatic efforts to end the ongoing war as being "on the right track."
The announcement came shortly after direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations took place in Turkey — their first face-to-face meeting since March 2022. Putin credited President Trump for facilitating the resumption of dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv.
Speaking to the press in Sochi, near the Black Sea, Putin said that he and Trump had agreed that Russia would propose a memorandum as a foundation for a peace agreement. The document would include provisions for a ceasefire and a timeline for its implementation. Putin noted that Russia is open to working with Ukraine to finalise the details.
“The essential thing for us is to address the root causes of this crisis,” Putin said. “We just need to determine the most effective ways to move towards peace.” Western leaders, including Ukraine’s European allies and the Trump administration, have called for an immediate and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to halt the fighting, which has continued for over three years.
President Trump confirmed in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, that the call with Putin "went very well." He added that negotiations for a ceasefire would begin immediately and mentioned that he had also spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump expressed optimism about ending the war, emphasising that both sides were now engaged in preliminary talks. The U.S. president has positioned himself as a mediator willing to de-escalate the conflict and steer efforts toward a diplomatic solution. Putin, who views the conflict in Ukraine as a defining moment in Russia’s relationship with the West, reiterated his belief that the expansion of NATO and perceived Western encroachment on Russia’s sphere of influence—particularly in Ukraine—were central to the current crisis.
According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, while the two leaders did not settle on a specific timeline for a ceasefire, they did discuss the possibility of a prisoner exchange, involving nine Russians and nine Americans. Ushakov also noted that Trump had described the future of U.S.-Russia relations as “impressive,” suggesting a renewed push for improved bilateral ties.
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