Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced Kyiv’s readiness for an unconditional ceasefire and direct negotiations with Russia, following two separate phone calls with US President Donald Trump.
Speaking via social media platform X on Monday, Zelensky described the moment as “defining” and urged global leaders to demonstrate their ability to secure a lasting peace. He confirmed that Ukraine was willing to participate in direct talks with Russia and said multiple countries, including Turkey, the Vatican and Switzerland, were under consideration as hosts.
“This is a defining moment. The world can now see whether its leaders are truly capable of securing a ceasefire and achieving real, lasting peace,” he said.
The developments come after Trump held a two-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which both leaders expressed support for negotiations. Trump later declared that talks between Russia and Ukraine would begin “immediately”, adding that the Vatican had expressed strong interest in hosting.
“Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “The Vatican, as represented by the Pope, has stated that it would be very interested in hosting the negotiations. Let the process begin!”
Putin, in a statement after the call, described the conversation with Trump as “highly constructive”, and suggested that meaningful agreement would require both sides “to show their firm commitment to peace and to forge a compromise that would be acceptable to all parties.” He added that a temporary ceasefire could be possible if suitable arrangements were reached.
Zelensky, meanwhile, stressed the importance of continued US and European involvement in any future peace process. He warned that if Russia continued its military operations, blocked prisoner exchanges or made “unrealistic demands”, new sanctions should be imposed by Western allies.
We are “ready for direct negotiations with Russia in any format that brings results”, Zelensky said, adding that the participation of the United States and Europe will be essential.
While no formal timeline has been announced for the start of negotiations, Trump’s office said he had already briefed European leaders, including the heads of the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy and Finland. The Kremlin later confirmed that no in-person Trump-Putin meeting was currently planned.
Zelensky’s statement concluded with a renewed appeal for coordinated pressure on Russia, should Moscow hinder progress: “If Russia refuses to stop the killings, refuses to release prisoners of war and hostages, if Putin puts forward unrealistic demands, this will mean that Russia continues to drag out the war, and deserves that Europe, America, and the world act accordingly, including with further sanctions. Russia must end the war it started, and it can begin doing so any day. Ukraine has always been ready for peace.”
