Russian President Vladimir Putin told Donald Trump on Monday 19 in a two -hour phone call, which is ready to start peace negotiations with Ukraine. In Rome, the Italian government announced the willingness of Pope Leo XIV to host conversations at the Vatican.
Following the conversation with Trump, Putin told state TV that Russia is willing to work with Ukraine in a memorandum about “eventual peace treaty” between the two countries. He considered that the discussions with Kiev are in the “right direction.”
However, shortly after Putin’s statements, Ukrainian President Volodmir Zelensky said he had no details about this memorandum, but expressed his willingness to study the Russian offer. The next round of negotiation could be at the Vatican, according to Italy Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who made public an offer from Pope Leo XIV.
The possibility of a new round of negotiation was discussed by Trump in a second call, this time with several European and Zelensky leaders. In the conversation, Ukraine’s main allies agreed to “increase the pressure” about Moscow with the reinforcement of sanctions, according to German Chancellor’s Office, Friedrich Merz, who participated in the call.
Failure
Last week, the delegations of Russia and Ukraine met for the first time since 2022 in Türkiye to restart direct dialogues. The meeting revealed the abyss that separates the positions from both countries.
So far, Putin has extreme demands: that Ukraine renounces NATO, abandon four of its regions partially controlled by Moscow, in addition to Crimea, attached in 2014, and the suspension of the shipping of Western weapons. Ukraine has rejected the requirements and asked the Russian army, which still occupies about 20% of the Ukrainian territory, to withdraw, which Moscow has no intention to do.
