(Image source from: news.sky.com)
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump spoke for two hours with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which Trump asserted that the conversation "went very well." He mentioned that Moscow had consented to "immediately start negotiations toward a ceasefire" regarding Ukraine. Conversely, the Kremlin stated that there was no discussion about a ceasefire timeline in their dialogue; however, Trump emphasized his eagerness to expedite agreement. This call appeared significant to Trump, as it aimed to determine Putin's willingness to resolve the Ukrainian crisis. He highlighted the call in capital letters on social media, raising hopes for a potential peace settlement. For Putin, it was just another ordinary duty, as he fit the call into his schedule while attending an event at a school for gifted children in Sochi.
Following their conversation, Putin indicated that Russia would collaborate with Ukraine on a memorandum for a prospective peace accord, differing from Trump’s assertion that negotiations for a ceasefire would begin immediately. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov later informed the press that the ceasefire timeline had not been covered in their talks. "The two presidents also discussed in detail the future of our bilateral relations, and I can say President Trump expressed himself with considerable emotion about these prospects," Ushakov noted. He added that Trump specifically pointed out the promising outlook for U.S.-Russia relations once the conflict in Ukraine is resolved, expressing that he regards Russia as a key partner for America in trade and economic affairs.
Ushakov mentioned that both countries are coordinating the specifics of a prisoner exchange, which would involve nine individuals from each nation, although he did not provide a timeline for this event. Trump and Putin both showed interest in meeting face-to-face and agreed to have their teams begin preparations, though a location has yet to be determined. Later, Trump pointed out on Truth Social that peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine could potentially occur in the Vatican.
"The Vatican, represented by the Pope, has expressed a strong desire to host the talks. Let the process begin," he stated. He also conveyed to reporters that if he believed President Putin was not committed to ending the conflict, he would have chosen to withdraw completely, expressing, "I think he’s had enough." Yet, despite these sentiments, Putin has increased his drone and missile assaults on Ukraine, including attacks on the capital, Kyiv, over the weekend.
