Trump, Putin Agree to Ceasefire Talks, Endorse Post-Conflict Trade

In a significant diplomatic development, Donald Trump concluded a two-hour call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, announcing that Russia and Ukraine would immediately commence ceasefire negotiations. This call marks the third official communication between the two leaders since Trump's return to the White House in January.

Trump, in a post on his social media platform, stated that the ceasefire conditions would be determined solely by the two parties involved, as they are privy to the intricacies of the negotiations. He described the tone and atmosphere of the call as "very good."

Trump further elaborated that post-conflict, Russia expressed interest in engaging in large-scale trade with the United States, a prospect he endorsed. He highlighted Russia's vast potential to create numerous jobs and wealth, with Ukraine also poised to benefit significantly from such trade relations.

Following the call, Trump briefed several world leaders on its contents, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 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. Additionally, the Vatican has offered to host the negotiations, with the Pope expressing a keen interest in facilitating the process.

Putin, in his remarks, described the call as "very frank" and "valuable," stating that he and Trump had agreed on the details of a potential peace memorandum. This memorandum would outline the principles of a solution, the timeline for a potential peace agreement, and the conditions under which a temporary ceasefire could be implemented.

However, Putin did not provide specific details on the conditions required for a resolution with Ukraine or the timeline for a ceasefire during his later remarks to reporters in Sochi. He emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of the crisis, noting that the direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul the previous week marked a significant step towards a peaceful resolution.