Putin discusses ceasefire, Ukraine conflict resolution with Trump in 2-hour call

MOSCOW

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that he discussed a potential ceasefire in Ukraine and the prospects for resolving the conflict in a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, which lasted approximately two hours.

Speaking at a press briefing in Sochi, Putin described the conversation with Trump as "frank and substantive," saying that Trump acknowledged Russia's commitment to a peaceful resolution of the crisis in Ukraine.

Putin expressed gratitude to Trump for supporting the resumption of direct negotiations in Istanbul between Moscow and Kyiv, emphasizing that the US president outlined his position on the ceasefire between the two sides.

"The US president expressed his position on the ceasefire and, for his part, also noted that Russia supports a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, we just need to determine the most effective ways to move towards peace," he said.

A truce with Ukraine, Putin said, is possible once relevant agreements are reached, and both Russia and Ukraine must find compromises that are mutually acceptable.

"We have agreed with the US president that Russia will propose and is ready to work with the Ukrainian side on a memorandum on a possible future peace treaty, defining a number of positions such as the principles of settlement, the timing of a possible peace agreement, including a possible ceasefire for a certain time if certain agreements are reached," he said.

"Contacts between the participants of the meeting and negotiations in Istanbul resumed, this gives reason to believe that we are generally moving in the right direction."

Either Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov or presidential aide on foreign affairs, Yury Ushakov, will provide further details on the conversation with Trump later, the Russian president added.