Trump: Russia, Ukraine to begin permanent ceasefire negotiations immediately

United States President Donald Trump says Russia and Ukraine will begin negotiations to permanently end the war between the two nations immediately.

Trump spoke after a two-hour call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The US president also held a separate phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during which he said he conveyed the resolution.

“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,” Trump said.

“Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will begin immediately,” he added.

“I have so informed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, President Emmanuel Macron, of France, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, of Italy, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, of Germany, and President Alexander Stubb, of Finland, during a call with me, immediately after the call with President Putin.

“The Vatican, as represented by the Pope, has stated that it would be very interested in hosting the negotiations. Let the process begin!”

Monday’s call with Putin marked the third known phone conversation between the two leaders since Trump’s inauguration in January.

It also comes as Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with the Russian president’s slow climb to strike a peace deal with Ukraine.

Putin has blamed his stalling on the need to address the “root causes” of the crisis.