Trump, Putin, and Zelensky Set Stage for Ceasefire Memorandum Talks

WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 19, 2025 — In a major diplomatic breakthrough, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine will begin immediate negotiations toward a ceasefire. The announcement came after Trump held separate phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, with both leaders reportedly open to drafting a memorandum that may serve as a path to peace.

Trump stated in his Truth Social post that the conditions of the negotiations would be decided directly by the two nations, emphasizing that “only they know the details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of.”

In addition to discussing peace, Trump expressed optimism about future trade, noting “There is a tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth. Its potential is UNLIMITED.” He also said Ukraine stands to gain significantly from reconstruction and international partnerships.

Following the Trump-Putin call, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed Russia’s openness to working with Ukraine on a formal draft. According to TASS, Putin stated that Russia is ready to draft a memorandum that may include “settlement principles, the timeframe for signing a potential peace agreement,” and provisions for a temporary ceasefire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that a memorandum may indeed be in discussion and could mark the first step toward a more formal peace process. According to Ukrinform, Zelensky said the document could provide “a roadmap toward ending the war,” though he added that the contents of any Russian proposal were not yet known to the Ukrainian side.

“There could be a respective memorandum in the bilateral format, which may then lead to a roadmap toward ending the war… supported by both countries,” Zelensky said during a Monday press briefing. He added, “In any case, if the Russian side proposes a memorandum, I don’t believe it will remain a secret. This kind of information tends to surface in the public domain.”

Trump also stated that he has already briefed top global leaders on the development, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and Pope Francis. According to Trump, the Vatican has expressed interest in potentially hosting the ceasefire talks.

Looking Ahead

This marks the first time in more than a year that both Russia and Ukraine have shown simultaneous willingness to explore a jointly developed framework for peace. If successful, the memorandum may set the groundwork for a full treaty to end the ongoing war that began in 2022.

As diplomatic teams prepare for talks, the international community is watching closely for official timelines, terms, and a possible location for the negotiation — with the Vatican emerging as a likely host.