On the marketing campaign path final 12 months, Donald Trump promised to finish the Russia-Ukraine warfare. However within the 5 months since taking workplace, the USA president has struggled to get the 2 sides to conform to a ceasefire.
On Monday, Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for 2 hours – their third formally introduced name since January – however did not safe a truce. As an alternative, Trump wrote on his Reality Social platform that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to “instant ceasefire” talks.
Trump additionally spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his “wonderful dialog” with Putin. He made one other name to leaders from the European Union, France, Italy, Germany and Finland in addition to Zelenskyy.
Whereas Ukraine and its Western allies need an instantaneous ceasefire, Russia says its issues must be addressed earlier than talks, reiterating {that a} ceasefire might be agreed upon after addressing “the basis causes of this disaster.”
Right here is extra concerning the a lot anticipated calls and the way Ukraine and Europe have responded:
What occurred?
Trump and Putin stated they have been on the decision for about two hours on Monday.
“Russia and Ukraine will instantly begin negotiations towards a Ceasefire and, extra importantly, an END to the Struggle,” Trump posted after the calls.
He stated the situations for such a ceasefire might be negotiated solely between Russia and Ukraine.
After his name with Trump, Putin known as the dialog “productive”.
“I expressed my gratitude to the president of the USA for the help supplied by the USA in facilitating the resumption of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine aimed toward probably reaching a peace settlement and resuming the talks,” Putin told reporters within the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
The Trump-Putin name got here days after the first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine since 2022 in Turkiye. Friday’s talks in Istanbul yielded no breakthrough on a ceasefire, however the two sides agreed to a prisoner exchange.
A US delegation led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio was additionally in Istanbul as a part of the Trump administration’s push to finish the greater than three-year warfare – Europe’s worst since World Struggle II.
Trump has been essential of his predecessor President Joe Biden’s Ukraine coverage, which shipped billions of {dollars} of weapons and humanitarian help to Ukraine. A number of the help has already been lower by the Trump administration.
A day earlier than the calls, Ukraine accused Russia of launching its largest drone assault of the warfare, killing at the least one lady. Moscow has but to answer these allegations.
What did Russia conform to?
Putin stated Trump on Monday introduced his place on the prospects for a ceasefire. “I famous that Russia additionally helps a peaceable settlement of the Ukraine disaster as nicely. What we’d like now could be to determine the best methods in direction of attaining peace,” Putin stated.
“We’ve agreed with the president of the USA that Russia will suggest and is able to work with the Ukrainian aspect on a memorandum on a attainable future peace accord,” he stated.
Putin added that this memorandum would outline “the ideas of settlement [and] the timing of a attainable peace settlement”.
“I want to notice that, on the entire, Russia’s place is obvious. The principle factor for us is to get rid of the basis causes of this disaster,” Putin stated. “We simply want to find out the best methods to maneuver in direction of peace.”
Russia needs Ukraine to drop its efforts to affix NATO and withdraw its troops from Ukrainian areas partially occupied by Russian forces – calls for Kyiv has rejected.
Regardless of Trump’s push for instant talks, Moscow has not proven any rush to resolve the problem.
“There are not any deadlines, and there can’t be any. It’s clear that everybody needs to do that as shortly as attainable, however after all, the satan is within the particulars,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Tuesday, in accordance with Russian information companies.
Al Jazeera’s Yulia Shapovalova, reporting from Moscow, stated “not a lot” was agreed to in the course of the phone name by way of “concrete steps”.
“He [Putin] believes that the US – due to its affect – can resolve any issues,” she stated.
The warfare started in February 2022 after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A month later, Russia and Ukraine held talks in Turkiye, however they ended with none breakthrough.
Putin on Monday stated Ukraine had “thwarted” these talks, however Zelenskyy stated the 2022 negotiations fell aside as a result of Russia demanded Ukraine give up its long-range weaponry, make constitutional amendments to declare neutrality and concede Ukrainian territory that Russia captured throughout its invasion.
What else did Trump say?
“I consider it went very nicely,” the US president stated after the decision with Putin.
Trump has been attempting to get by way of to his Russian counterpart since he returned to workplace in January. Monday marked the third prolonged name between the 2 presidents, and Trump has despatched his Center East envoy Steve Witkoff to satisfy Putin in Moscow a number of occasions.
As for Trump’s relationship with Zelenskyy, it has usually been testy. Trump has accused the Ukrainian president of not wanting to finish the warfare. In February, he publicly berated Zelenskyy on the White Home for being “disrespectful” and “playing with World Struggle III”.
Shortly after Trump’s inauguration, US representatives met individually with Russian and Ukrainian officers in Saudi Arabia as a part of efforts to carry peace to Ukraine.
In a break with previous administrations, Trump has sought to revive ties with Russia. In February, delegations from the US and Russia met in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh to enhance their relations and transfer in direction of peace in Ukraine.
“President Trump approaches diplomacy and engages in a really transactional method with economics as the muse and driving power behind worldwide affairs,” Keith Kellogg, Trump’s particular envoy for Russia and Ukraine, stated in March.
Putin has made commerce gives to Trump, saying in a state tv interview in February that he’s open to providing entry to uncommon earth minerals to Trump, together with from Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia.
The US president additionally wrote concerning the prospect of commerce with Russia and Ukraine after the ceasefire.
“Russia needs to do largescale TRADE with the USA when this catastrophic ‘massacre’ is over, and I agree. There’s a super alternative for Russia to create large quantities of jobs and wealth. Its potential is UNLIMITED. Likewise, Ukraine could be a nice beneficiary on Commerce, within the technique of rebuilding its Nation.”
“Simply accomplished my two hour name with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. I consider it went very nicely…” –President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/trznsLpKjF
— The White Home (@WhiteHouse) May 19, 2025
Marina Miron, a postdoctoral researcher on the Defence Research Division at King’s School London, stated the “Trump administration will do no matter is within the US curiosity”.
“If it’s within the US curiosity to have higher relations with Russia than Ukraine, then that’s what’s going to occur,” she stated, explaining that there are a lot of issues that the People can focus on with the Russians, together with the Russian affect within the case of normalising relations with Iran.
“Ukraine doesn’t have that very same leverage,” she stated. The US “has gotten primarily what it wished from Ukraine”, referring to the minerals deal signed on April 30 that gave the US preferential entry to Ukraine’s mineral sources.
How did Zelenskyy react?
Zelenskyy stated he spoke to Trump twice on Monday. The primary was a one-on-one name with Trump, the Ukrainian chief posted on X, including that the second time was a bunch name involving the European leaders.
“Originally of our bilateral dialog, I reaffirmed to President Trump that Ukraine is prepared for a full and unconditional ceasefire, as has spoken about, significantly the USA,” Zelenskyy wrote. “It’s important to not dilute this proposal.”
If Russia shouldn’t be prepared for a ceasefire, Zelenskyy wrote, sanctions on Russia ought to be scaled up. “Strain on Russia will push it towards actual peace – that is apparent to everybody world wide.”
“Russia should finish the warfare it began, and it may possibly start doing so any day. Ukraine has all the time been prepared for peace.”
On Tuesday, the European Union and United Kingdom introduced sanctions towards Russia after the Trump-Putin name ended and not using a breakthrough.
Chatting with reporters in Kyiv late on Monday, Zelenskyy stated he is able to signal a memorandum with Russia that comprises provisions for a ceasefire.
“There might be a respective memorandum within the bilateral format, which can then result in a roadmap towards ending the warfare, that’s, towards a full settlement. This memorandum, supported by each international locations, would come with provisions for a ceasefire,” Zelenskyy stated.
I spoke with @POTUS twice at this time. First, we had a one-on-one name earlier than his dialog with the pinnacle of Russia, and later we spoke along with President Trump and European leaders President @EmmanuelMacron, Prime Minister @GiorgiaMeloni, Federal Chancellor @bundeskanzler,… pic.twitter.com/mm6a0Pro84
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 19, 2025
The place does the EU stand?
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen have been on the second name between Trump and Zelenskyy.
“Along with European leaders, we additionally mentioned attainable subsequent steps – specifically, conferences between negotiators and an goal evaluation of every aspect’s proposals. Each proposal on the desk deserves an trustworthy analysis, that’s why the negotiation course of should contain each American and European representatives on the acceptable stage,” Zelenskyy wrote in his X submit.
Ukraine has sought US involvement within the talks. Washington has been its largest weapons supplier for the reason that Russian invasion and has additionally supplied Kyiv diplomatic help at the United Nations.
However the Trump administration doesn’t wish to present safety ensures to Ukraine and as an alternative needs European nations to step up their defence contributions.
On Monday, Merz wrote on X: “We’ll intently help Ukraine on its path towards a ceasefire.”
Meloni additionally expressed her help for “an instantaneous begin of negotiations between the events that may result in a ceasefire as quickly as attainable”.
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV has expressed readiness to host direct talks between Russia and Ukraine. “The Holy Father’s willingness to host the talks on the Vatican was thought-about constructive. Italy is able to do its half to facilitate contacts and work for peace,” Meloni wrote.
What’s subsequent?
Moreover the Vatican, Zelenskyy wrote that Turkiye and Switzerland are additionally being thought-about as venues for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
“Contacts amongst contributors of the Istanbul assembly and talks have resumed, which provides purpose to consider that we’re heading in the right direction total,” Putin stated on Monday.
Trump advised reporters later that day that he anticipated there to be progress within the talks, but when there have been no progress, he was “simply going to again away.”
White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Trump has “grown weary and pissed off with each side of the battle”. Nevertheless, she didn’t specify whether or not Trump had given Russia and Ukraine a deadline for the following steps.
Zelenskyy has known as for continued US engagement to resolve the battle, including that it’s essential the US “doesn’t distance itself” from the talks.
However Miron from King’s School, stated she “expects the American aspect to take a extra passive stance in direction of this [Ukraine-Russia war] because the Europeans try to become involved or attempting to help Ukraine”.
“Until the US pursuits are at stake, I don’t assume that he’s [Trump’s] going to return again. He’ll, or his administration will, most likely solely intervene if it sees a profit for the People. … They produce other issues to resolve.”
