'Russia, Ukraine will immediately start ceasefire negotiations': Trump
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has announced that Russia and Ukraine will begin ceasefire negotiations immediately. The announcement came after a two-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump described the conversation as "very well" and said the negotiations are a major step toward ending the war. The US president stressed that the conditions of the bilateral talks "will be negotiated between the two parties" directly.
Global briefing
Trump briefs European leaders on ceasefire negotiations
After his call with Putin, Trump briefed several European leaders about the upcoming ceasefire negotiations. The leaders included Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Finland's President Alexander Stubb. He also revealed that Pope Francis has expressed interest in hosting these negotiations at the Vatican.
Economic prospects
Trump highlights trade potential in post-war recovery
Praising Putin for the way in which Monday's phone call was conducted, Trump said, "The tone and spirit of the conversation were excellent." In his social media post, Trump also spoke about the economic opportunities that could arise from ending the war. He said Russia is interested in large-scale trade with the US after the conflict ends, which would help create jobs and wealth. He also said Ukraine could benefit from trade while rebuilding its country.
Diplomatic efforts
Putin thanks Trump for supporting direct talks
Putin called his conversation with Trump "useful" and thanked him for backing direct talks. Talking at a White House event later, Trump said the US would not be stepping away from brokering talks but that he has a "red line in his head" on when he will stop pushing. In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly warned that the US will withdraw from negotiations as he became increasingly irritated with both Moscow and Kyiv's lack of progress toward peace.