19 May, 2025 14:00
Washington confirms start of Putin-Trump phone call: Live Updates
The Russian and US presidents are holding a highly anticipated phone conversation on Monday
Russian President Vladimir Putin is speaking on the phone with his US counterpart, Donald Trump. The conversation on Monday is expected to focus on the Ukraine conflict and a possible ceasefire between Moscow and Kiev.
The phone call was initially announced by Trump on Saturday. The US president said the discussion will focus on “stopping the ‘bloodbath’” between Russia and Ukraine, as well as on bilateral trade issues.
Moscow has described the upcoming conversation between the two presidents as “important,” with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating the call will be based on the results of the recent Turkish-mediated meeting between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul. Russia welcomes the US mediation role and sees the diplomatic path to resolving the Ukraine conflict as preferable, Peskov stressed on Monday.
“We highly value the United States’ mediating efforts – if they truly help us achieve our objectives by peaceful means,” he said.
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy and a key figure behind kickstarting the Ukraine peace process, has expressed hope that the call will be “very successful” and can help clear “some of the logjam” in the negotiations.
19 May 2025
15:28 GMT
The phone conversation between the two presidents is still going on, the New York Times has reported, citing White House officials.
15:20 GMT
During the call, Trump could potentially offer Putin unspecified “economic benefits” and the restoration of ties between Russia and the “rest of the world,” US Vice President J.D. Vance has said.
“The proposal from the United States has always been: Look, there are a lot of economic benefits to thawing relations between Russia and the rest of the world, but you’re not going to get those benefits if you keep on killing a lot of innocent people,” Vance stated.
14:44 GMT
The conversation between Trump and Putin has begun, US media have reported, citing White House sources.
14:40 GMT
Trump has grown “weary and frustrated” with both Moscow and Kiev and is seeking to bring the hostilities to an end as soon as possible, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said.
“He has made it clear to both sides that he wants to see a peaceful resolution and ceasefire as soon as possible,” Leavitt told reporters during a press briefing shortly ahead of the scheduled call between Trump and Putin.
14:26 GMT
Moscow is prepared for “painstaking” and potentially “lengthy” efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. He was commenting on remarks by US President Donald Trump, who appeared to express frustration with the ongoing low-level negotiations.
“There is quite painstaking and, perhaps, in some areas, lengthy work ahead on the settlement, connected with a large number of nuances that need to be discussed. The Russian side is ready for this work,” Peskov has stated.
14:07 GMT
If Russia is not “willing to engage” to end the Ukraine conflict, “eventually, the US has to say this is not our war,” US Vice President J.D. Vance has warned. He claimed that the Russian leadership “does not seem to know” how to get out of the hostilities.
“We realize there’s a bit of an impasse here,”Vance told reporters on Monday.
14:02 GMT
Donald Trump is reportedly considering a new sanctions bill targeting Russia if no progress is made on ceasefire talks with Ukraine, Bloomberg reported ahead of the phone call with Putin, citing unnamed European officials.
Trump could deliver the warning to the Russian president during their conversation, US officials privately told their European counterparts, according to the outlet.
https://www.rt.com/news/617845-putin-trump-phone-call/