Pratiksha Ghosh
WASHINGTON/SOCHI May 20 2025:U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that Russia and Ukraine will begin immediate negotiations aimed at reaching a ceasefire and ending their ongoing conflict. The statement followed a two-hour phone conversation between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will commence immediately,” Trump posted on his social media platform,Truth Social, shortly after the call.
President Putin, speaking from the Russian resort city of Sochi, confirmed Moscow’s willingness to engage in talks with Kyiv. He indicated that the two sides would begin drafting a memorandum outlining the framework for a potential peace agreement.
“We have agreed with the President of the United States that Russia is prepared to propose and work on a memorandum with the Ukrainian side for a future peace accord,” Putin said. He also added that efforts toward peace were “generally on the right track.”
While there has been no official response from the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy side regarding the announcement, a source familiar with the matter stated that Zelenskyy spoke briefly with Trump prior to his call with Putin.
Kyiv has also expressed its openness to an immediate ceasefire, though Moscow maintains that certain conditions must first be met. According to Putin, the peace initiative must address what he described as the “root causes” of the conflict — referring to the status of Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, and other regions that held referendums to join Russia in 2014 and 2022.
“The primary issue for us is resolving the underlying causes of the crisis,” Putin said, alluding to the disputed territories of Kherson and Zaporozhye in addition to Crimea and the eastern regions.
On the other hand,U.S. Vice President JD Vance reiterated Washington’s cautious stance, noting that while the administration supports efforts to end the war, there are limits to American involvement.
Vance told reporters “We’re going to try to end it,””But if we can’t, we’re eventually going to say: ‘That was worth a try, but we’re not doing any more.’”
The proposed memorandum would outline key elements of a potential settlement, including core principles and timelines, according to the Russian president.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has now entered its third year, with numerous international efforts to mediate a resolution having failed to yield lasting results.
