“Had a very constructive and highly timely discussion with President Donald Trump” – President Putin

“Had a very constructive and highly timely discussion with President Donald Trump” – President Putin
Moscow, May 20: Russian President Vladimir Putin described his over two-hour-long telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump as very constructive and candid.

Putin thanked President Trump for U.S. support in restarting direct peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv, and stated that he is prepared to work toward drafting a future peace agreement with Ukraine.

“The conversation was very productive and completely open, and in my view, extremely timely,” said Putin.
He further added, “It was a highly constructive dialogue, and I greatly value it.”

During the conversation, President Trump outlined his position on a potential ceasefire and peace agreement in Ukraine. Putin said, “First of all, I thanked the President of the United States for helping to restart those peace talks between Russia and Ukraine which were halted by the Ukrainian side in 2022.”

President Trump stated that Russia “seeks a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis” and emphasized, “We must determine the most effective path to peace.”
Putin added, “Russia and Ukraine must find a compromise that both sides can accept. Russia’s position is clear: our primary goal is to address the root causes of this conflict.”

Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov or Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov will later provide a more detailed briefing on the phone call.

Ukraine Issue and Prisoner Exchange – Ushakov's Statement:
This was the third conversation between Putin and Trump since Trump returned to the White House. The call lasted precisely two hours and five minutes. Both leaders addressed each other by their first names throughout the discussion.

At the beginning of the call, Putin congratulated Trump on the birth of his eleventh grandchild and wished good health for the newborn and Trump’s daughter.

They then engaged in in-depth discussions on a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict, especially in light of the recent Istanbul talks.

Putin praised Trump and his administration for playing a key role in bringing Kyiv back to the negotiation table.

While no specific timeline for a ceasefire was discussed, Trump strongly emphasized his desire to reach a peace agreement.

Both leaders agreed that any future meetings between them should be “thoroughly prepared and meaningful.”

Trump commented on the new U.S. sanctions, saying he personally does not support sanctions, but prefers resolution through agreements.

The two leaders agreed they could call each other if needed. Trump said, “Vladimir, you can call me anytime—I’ll gladly answer and talk.”

“Russia and Ukraine will sit down for immediate ceasefire talks, and more importantly, discussions aimed at ending the war altogether.”
Putin remarked that there is still much to discuss regarding the terms of the talks, “as only they [the parties] possess certain information unknown to others.”

He added that once the war ends, Moscow and Washington could establish extensive commercial relations: “The potential is limitless.”