It is unclear when or in what form potential talks will take place. But the Vatican has, according to Trump, offered to host negotiations.
"Let the process begin!", writes Trump.
Vladimir Putin says afterwards that Russia will present a memorandum as a first step towards a peace settlement. The document is, according to Putin, a framework for "the principles of an agreement, the timing of a possible peace settlement".
Among other things, a possible ceasefire for a specified period if agreement is reached on suitable conditions, says Putin at a press conference with Russian media in Sochi.
Spoke for two hours
The conversation began shortly after 4 pm Swedish time and continued for over two hours.
Donald Trump reports that he informed Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyj and several other European leaders, among them France's Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Friedrich Merz, about the content of the Putin conversation in a follow-up group conversation.
Merz writes on X that they agreed to "increase pressure on Moscow through sanctions" to "help Ukraine towards a ceasefire".
Zelenskyj, who spoke with Trump both before and after his conversation with Putin, says at a press conference that he wants to take a closer look at the Russians' proposal.
Once we have received the Russians' memorandum with proposals, we will be able to formulate our vision based on that, he says.
Trump reports that he and Putin also discussed future trade opportunities "when this catastrophic 'bloodbath' is over".
"There is a fantastic opportunity for Russia to create enormous amounts of jobs and prosperity. Its potential is UNLIMITED", writes Trump on Truth Social.
"Similarly, Ukraine can be a big winner in trade, in the process of rebuilding its country."
Direct talks in Istanbul
Representatives of Ukraine and Russia were seen last week in Istanbul for the first direct talks between the countries in over three years. The negotiations were at a lower level after Zelenskyj challenged Putin to a personal meeting in Turkey – which Russia's president did not show up for.
Ukraine and its allies in Europe want to see an unconditional ceasefire of at least 30 days, a demand that the US also supports.
Trump and Putin also spoke on the phone with each other in March, but they have not met physically since Trump's first term in the White House.
