Trump’s ‘Excellent’ Call with Putin Sparks Immediate Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire Talks

Washington: In a surprising diplomatic breakthrough, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that Russia and Ukraine will “immediately” begin ceasefire negotiations following a two-hour-long phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump, who also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders, is pushing for a rapid resolution to the conflict that has devastated the region for over two years.

Describing the phone call as “excellent”, Trump emphasized that the tone and outcome of the discussion gave him hope for a breakthrough. “If it wasn’t, I would say so now, rather than later,” he wrote in a social media post, signaling his confidence in the sincerity of Russia’s willingness to de-escalate.

According to media reports close to the matter, Trump also privately expressed growing dissatisfaction with the drawn-out war. This aligns with earlier White House briefings suggesting that the president has become “frustrated” with both Kyiv and Moscow over the stalemate.

Putin, for his part, described the call with Trump as “frank and meaningful,” indicating a readiness to pursue peace. He added that Russia is in favour of a “peaceful settlement”, a shift in tone that could reshape ongoing global diplomatic dynamics.

Trump clarified that the negotiations will be primarily handled directly between Russia and Ukraine, noting, “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.”