President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he held a two-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that Russia and Ukraine will begin negotiations toward a ceasefire and, ultimately, an end to the war.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the call as productive and optimistic, stating, “I believe it went very well. Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War.”
Trump emphasised that the terms of the potential agreement would be decided by the two nations directly, stating that “they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of.”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2025
The president also said that the tone of the conversation was “excellent,” and added that if it had not been, he “would say so now, rather than later.”
Trump claimed that Russia is interested in large-scale trade with the United States following the end of the war, calling the opportunity for economic growth “tremendous,” with “UNLIMITED” potential for job creation and wealth in Russia. He added that Ukraine would similarly benefit from international trade during the postwar reconstruction process.
Following the call with Putin, Trump said he informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb of the developments.
He also noted that the Vatican, represented by the newly appointed Pope Leo, has expressed interest in hosting the negotiations.
“Let the process begin!” Trump concluded in his post.
