After Putin call, Trump says Moscow-Kiev to 'immediately' start talks
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Putin and Trump held a two-hour call over Ukraine ceasefire talks and exploring a peace deal, with the Vatican offering to host negotiations.
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President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, June 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
Russian President Vladimir Putin described his phone discussion with US President Donald Trump as instructive, candid, and quite valuable on Monday.
Delegations from both Russia and Ukraine met last week in Istanbul, the first such talks since March 2022, following Putin’s proposal for direct negotiations.
Putin told reporters following his phone call with Trump, which lasted over two hours, that it was "very informative and very frank," adding that "on the whole, in my opinion, it was very useful in this regard."
Russia is in favor of 'peaceful settlement'
Russia supports a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian conflict, Putin stated Monday.
"For my part, I also noted that Russia is also in favor of a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis," he told reporters, adding that Russia's position is clear, and the main goal is to eradicate the root causes of the problem.
A temporary truce in Ukraine is feasible if sufficient agreements are achieved, the Russian leader divulged.
He revealed to reporters that he has agreed with Trump that "Russia will offer and is ready to work with the Ukrainian side on a memorandum on a possible future peace treaty with the definition of a number of positions, such as the principles of settlement, the terms of a possible peace treaty and so on, including a possible ceasefire for a certain period of time if the relevant agreements are reached."
Russia, Ukraine need to find compromises
Putin emphasized that ussia and Ukraine need to find compromises that would suit both sides.
"The question, of course, is for the Russian and Ukrainian sides to show the maximum desire for peace and to find those compromises that would suit all sides," Putin told reporters, adding that both Russia and Ukraine were on the right track.
He also thanked Trump for the US' participation in the resumption of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine, noting that the US president expressed his position on the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine during the phone call.
Trump announces Russia and Ukraine will 'immediately' start ceasefire negotiations
On his part, Trump indicated that his call with his Russian counterpart went "very well" and that the tone and the spirit of the conversation were "excellent".
"Just completed my two hour call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. I believe it went very well ... The tone and spirit of the conversation were excellent. If it wasn't, I would say so now, rather than later," Trump said on Truth Social.
The US president announced that Moscow and Kiev will promptly launch discussions on both a ceasefire and an end to the conflict.
"Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War," he said.
Trump said he briefed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as well as European leaders about the prompt start of the talks between Moscow and Kiev.
Trump says Vatican 'very interested' in hosting Russia-Ukraine negotiations
Trump also revealed that Pope Leo XIV is keen to facilitate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, saying, "The Vatican, as represented by the Pope, has stated that it would be very interested in hosting the negotiations. Let the process begin!"
Trump was 'quite emotional' about prospects of US-Russia relations
Later, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said that Putin and Trump discussed the state of US-Russian relations and spoke in favor of further normalization of ties between Moscow and Washington.
Ushakov mentioned that Trump "was quite emotional" about the prospects of US-Russia relations.
"He repeatedly emphasized that he favors mutually respectful, mutually beneficial relations with Russia, given its role in the world and its place in the economy," the Russian diplomat said.
Putin, Trump do not rule out in-person meeting
The Kremlin aide emphasized that the two presidents do not rule out the possibility of an in-person meeting in the future, saying that "they are considering the possibility to arrange a meeting in person in the future."
Ushakov added that such a meeting would need to be properly worked out, with appropriate instructions given to the respective teams.
Putin positively assesses US-Iran talks, describes Trump's Gulf tour 'impressive'
According to Ushakov, Putin has assessed Trump’s recent trip to the Gulf as "impressive", and "positively assessed the Omani-brokered talks between Washington and Tehran on Iran's nuclear program."
Putin, Trump discussed prisoner swaps between Russia, US
The Russian diplomat confirmed that Putin and Trump discussed the issue of prisoner swaps and noted that a nine-for-nine swap is currently being worked on.
UN welcomes Putin-Trump conversation
The United Nations on its end, expressed optimism over the discussions and expressed it supports any peace initiatives that follow international law, spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Monday.
Dujarric called the conversations "Welcomed" and detailed that the UN's stance remains unchanged. "We will support any effort that will lead to an end to the war in Ukraine based on the principles of the UN charter, territorial integrity of Ukraine, and all relevant UN resolutions," the spokesman stated.
The Russian Ministry of Defense revealed on Saturday the conditions presented by Moscow during the Istanbul negotiations with Kiev, as shared by the Clash Report platform on social media.
The outlined terms reflect Russia’s position on a potential settlement in Ukraine, with an immediate ceasefire as the primary demand.
Russia's ceasefire conditions
Neutrality modeled on Austria
The first condition proposed by Moscow is that Ukraine adopt a neutral status, similar to Austria’s model. This would prohibit the presence of foreign troops or non-Ukrainian military bases on Ukrainian territory, effectively excluding NATO or other military alliances from operating within the country.
No foreign troops or bases in Ukraine
Moscow emphasized that neutrality must be comprehensive, with Kiev legally committing to reject the stationing of foreign forces and equipment.
Territorial demands and border recognition
Among the key demands, Russia requires Ukraine to formally recognize its constitutional claims over five regions: Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and the Crimean Peninsula.
The Russian Defense Ministry stressed that the immediate ceasefire is contingent upon the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from all five regions claimed by Russia.
Renunciation of war compensation claims
Moscow is also seeking a mutual legal renunciation of any compensation claims related to war losses, including economic damage and human casualties.
Protection of Russian-speaking citizens
Russia demands that Ukraine commit to European standards on minority rights, specifically to safeguard the rights of Russian-speaking citizens. In addition, Moscow calls for an end to what it terms “nationalist propaganda” within Ukrainian society.
