Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated his openness to a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine following an extensive phone conversation with former U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to reports, the two leaders spoke for over two hours, a move seen as part of broader international efforts to bring an end to the ongoing conflict.
Russian state media reports that Putin communicated Moscow’s readiness to work with Kyiv on a formal memorandum designed to establish a ceasefire.
Both leaders reportedly expressed optimism about the conversation’s outcome. Trump described the “tone and spirit” of their exchange as “excellent,” while Putin referred to the talks as both “informative” and “frank.”
Meanwhile, global momentum for peace negotiations appears to be gaining ground, with European and American leaders reportedly backing Pope Leo XIV’s offer to host peace talks at the Vatican. This was confirmed on Monday by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Meloni’s office revealed that several European leaders—including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz—spoke with Trump after his call with Putin to discuss the unfolding diplomatic efforts.
In a related development, the U.S. Vice President held meetings with Pope Leo XIV and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s top official for foreign relations.
An official White House statement noted, “The Vice President and Archbishop Gallagher discussed religious freedom, the persecution of Christians around the world, and the shared commitment of President Trump and Pope Leo XIV to stop the killing in Ukraine and the Middle East.”
While details of the Vice President’s private discussion with the Pope remain undisclosed, the statement was issued shortly before Trump publicly proposed the Vatican as a potential location for Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations.
