OAN Staff Blake Wolf
2:22 PM – Monday, May 19, 2025
President Donald Trump announced on Monday that Russia and Ukraine are “immediately” going to begin ceasefire negotiations — following a two hour long phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Just completed my two hour call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. I believe it went very well. Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War,” Trump wrote.
“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. If it wasn’t, I would say so now, rather than later,” he continued.
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Trump also discussed Putin’s interest in “largescale TRADE with the United States when this catastrophic ‘bloodbath’ is over.”
“There is a tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth. Its potential is UNLIMITED. Likewise, Ukraine can be a great beneficiary on Trade, in the process of rebuilding its Country. Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will begin immediately,” Trump explained.
President Trump noted that he informed multiple world leaders of the imminent peace talks, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and French President Emmanuel Macron, among others.
Trump concluded his remarks by revealing that Pope Leo XIV, the new Pope, has offered to host the negotiations at the Vatican.
“The Vatican, as represented by the Pope, has stated that it would be very interested in hosting the negotiations. Let the process begin!” Trump added.
Meanwhile, Putin affirmed President Trump’s comments, describing the call with Trump as “frank and meaningful.”
“Russia is ready to work with Kyiv on a memorandum on a future peace treaty which could include issues of a cease-fire and principles for resolving the conflict,” Putin stated.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added that the “conversation is important given the talks that took place in Istanbul,” referencing the recent meeting between delegates from Moscow and Kyiv, the first direct meeting between the two sides in over three years.
During the meeting, Ukrainian and Russian negotiators agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war from both sides in the first step to negotiating a larger peace deal.
“It is preferable to achieve our goals through political and diplomatic means, of course,” Peskov added.
Additionally, Vice President JD Vance spoke to reporters on Monday, explaining where Trump and the United States are coming from regarding a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
“The president has been very clear,” Vance stated aboard Air Force Two. “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?’”
“It’s not our war. We’re going to try to end it, but if we can’t end it, we are eventually going to say, ‘that was worth a try, but we’re not doing it anymore,” Vance added.
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