"The greatest threat to democracy and equality comes from charismatic political strongmen. Unfortunately, not everyone can become such a figure."
Russian President Vladimir Putin previously described the more than two-hour phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday as "very substantive and very frank." Putin stated that Russia supports a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis and revealed that he and Trump had reached an agreement, with Russia willing to jointly draft a memorandum with Ukraine on a potential future peace treaty.
Trump, for his part, announced that Russia and Ukraine would immediately begin ceasefire negotiations. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov cautioned that drafting the memorandum would face significant challenges, and thus no deadline would be set.
Putin emphasized that the memorandum should include key provisions, such as the principles for achieving peace, the timeline for signing a peace treaty, and a ceasefire during a specified period once certain agreements are reached. The current challenge, he said, lies in ensuring both Russia and Ukraine demonstrate maximum commitment to peace and find a compromise satisfactory to all parties. Putin reiterated Russia's clear stance that the root causes of the crisis must be addressed.
Shared push for normalizing U.S.-Russia relations
Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov briefed reporters on the call, stating that the two leaders did not set a specific timeframe for a potential Russia-Ukraine ceasefire agreement. They also discussed U.S.-Russia relations, agreeing to continue efforts to normalize bilateral ties, and focused on the issue of prisoner exchanges. Both sides committed to maintaining dialogue on all topics, including Ukraine, and did not rule out the possibility of a future face-to-face meeting, though the timing and location remain undecided.
Trump, in a post on his social media platform, called the conversation with Putin "very productive" and announced that Russia and Ukraine would immediately begin negotiations on a ceasefire and conflict resolution, with specific terms to be determined by the parties involved. Trump added that Russia expressed interest in large-scale trade with the U.S. after the conflict ends, an idea he endorsed, "There is a tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth. Its potential is UNLIMITED. Likewise, Ukraine can be a great beneficiary on Trade, in the process of rebuilding its Country."
Trump also mentioned that the Vatican had expressed great willingness to host the negotiations.
At a White House press briefing, Trump stated he would not impose additional sanctions on Russia for now. He warned that further sanctions could worsen the situation but left open the possibility of action at a later stage.
Trump's shift in stance: A victory for Putin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke twice with Trump on Monday (May 19). Trump informed him that the U.S. and Russia had discussed a bilateral framework memorandum, which could serve as the basis for a future ceasefire and eventual peace treaty. Zelensky also revealed that Ukraine was considering a joint meeting involving the U.S., Ukraine, Russia, and the EU, potentially held in Turkey, the Vatican, or Switzerland.
He denied disappointment over the lack of stricter U.S. sanctions on Russia, stressing the need for focus and expressing confidence that Europe would soon announce a robust sanctions package with a clear timeline.
U.S. media interpreted the call as failing to signal an imminent breakthrough in negotiations. Instead, Trump's apparent shift—abandoning mediation efforts in favor of Putin's call for direct Russia-Ukraine talks—was seen by several European politicians as "undoubtedly a victory for Putin."
The New York Times (NYT) noted that Trump's current stance starkly contrasts with his threats of sanctions in April. While he framed the talks as a concession by Putin, the reality was his retreat toward Putin's position. This shift, the analysis argued, demonstrated that Trump's trademark confidence and negotiation skills had little impact in the face of the profound divisions and complex political motives between Russia and Ukraine.
(Source: Wen Wei Po; English Editor: Darius)
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