Ukraine and Russia to begin ceasefire talks
US President Donald Trump says Russia and Ukraine will “immediately” begin ceasefire talks to end the war — possibly hosted by the Vatican.
Trump said he had spoken for two hours with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding a possible ceasefire in Ukraine and “it went very well”.
“Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War,” he posted to social media on Tuesday (AEST).
“The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of.
“The tone and spirit of the conversation were excellent.”
Trump added that the recently inaugurated Pope Leo had expressed interest in joining the peace talks.
“The Vatican, as represented by the Pope, has stated that it would be very interested in hosting the negotiations. Let the process begin!” he wrote.
Trump said Moscow was already eyeing its postwar ambitions, in particular for Russia to begin “large-scale trade with the US”.
You might like
“There is a tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth,” wrote Trump.
“Its potential is UNLIMITED.
“Likewise, Ukraine can be a great beneficiary on Trade, in the process of rebuilding its Country.”
Trump said he had 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 Finland’s President Alexander Stubb.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2025
Putin sent thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, triggering the gravest confrontation between Russia and the US since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
Trump, who says he wants to be remembered as a peacemaker, has repeatedly called for an end to the “bloodbath” of Ukraine, which his administration casts as a proxy war between the US and Russia.
Under pressure from Trump, delegates from the warring countries met last week in Istanbul for the first time since 2022, after Putin proposed direct talks and European countries and Ukraine demanded an immediate ceasefire.
Stay informed, daily
Less than an hour before Trump and Putin’s call, US Vice President JD Vance said the US recognised there was an impasse in ending the war — and that if Russia was not willing to engage, then eventually the US would have to say it was not its war.
“We realise there’s a bit of an impasse here. And I think the president’s going to say to President Putin: ‘Look, are you serious? Are you real about this?’,” Vance said as he prepared to depart from Italy.
“I think honestly that President Putin, he doesn’t quite know how to get out of the war,” Vance said, adding that he had just spoken to Trump.
He said it “takes two to tango. I know the President’s willing to do that but if Russia is not willing to do that, then we’re eventually just going to say, this is not our war.
“We’re going to try to end it but if we can’t end it, we’re eventually going to say: ‘You know what? That was worth a try but we’re not doing anymore’.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin and Trump were to speak on Monday (local time) and called the conversation “important, given the talks that took place in Istanbul” last week between Russian and Ukrainian officials.
Trump, whose administration has made clear that Russia could face additional sanctions if it does not take peace talks seriously, said he would also speak to Zelensky and members of the NATO military alliance.
Putin, whose forces control a fifth of Ukraine and are advancing, has stood firm on his conditions for ending the war despite public and private pressure from Trump and repeated warnings from European powers.
On Sunday, Russia launched its largest drone attack on Ukraine since the start of the war.
In June 2024, Putin said Ukraine must officially drop its NATO ambitions and withdraw its troops from the entire territory of the four Ukrainian regions Russia claims.
On Sunday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed Russia’s war against Ukraine with leaders of the US, Italy, France and Germany, a Downing Street spokesperson said.
“Tomorrow (Monday) President Putin must show he wants peace by accepting the 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposed by President Trump and backed by Ukraine and Europe,” French President Emmanuel Macron said on X after Sunday’s call.
Putin is wary of a ceasefire and says fighting cannot be paused until a number of crucial conditions are worked out or clarified.
