US President Donald Trump said his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin "went very well." He confirmed that both Russia and Ukraine will “immediately start negotiations” to achieve a ceasefire and end the ongoing war.

Vatican Willing to Host

Moreover, Trump posted on Truth Social that the Vatican is ready to support the peace process. He wrote, “as represented by the Pope, has stated that it would be very interested in hosting the negotiations.” He concluded with, “Let the process begin!”

Putin Agrees to Propose a Peace Memorandum

Meanwhile, Putin also shared details about the phone call. According to him, he and Trump agreed that Russia would present a "memorandum" on peace. He said this document is being prepared in coordination with Ukraine. It would outline the main points for a “possible” agreement.

Additionally, he said the call lasted more than two hours, as reported by AFP.

Istanbul Talks Laid the Groundwork

Earlier, negotiators from Russia and Ukraine held meetings in Istanbul. Referring to those talks, Putin said they put the world on the “right path” toward ending the conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Following the phone call, Putin told Russian media, “Russia will propose and will be ready to work with the Ukrainian side on a memorandum on a possible future peace agreement defining a range of positions.”

Furthermore, he mentioned that the document might include “the principles of settlement, the timing of a possible peace agreement and so on -- including a possible ceasefire for a certain period of time if appropriate agreements are reached.”

However, he did not share more information about the content of the memorandum.

Putin Praises Trump’s Role

So far, Ukraine and its Western allies have pushed Russia to accept a ceasefire. Until now, Moscow had refused. However, this new development signals a possible shift.

In fact, Putin thanked Trump for helping to restart direct talks. He noted that this would be the first face-to-face contact between Kyiv and Moscow in more than three years.

He said, “Contact between participants of the meeting and negotiations in Istanbul -- this contact was restarted and it gives us the basis to think that on the whole we are on the right path.”

In addition, Putin called for stronger efforts. He said both sides must try their best to reach “compromises that would suit all sides.”

Finally, he described his phone conversation with Trump as “very useful.”