During a two-hour telephone conversation on May 19, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump did not discuss specific terms for a ceasefire in Ukraine, said Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov. Ushakov noted that Trump expressed interest in reaching agreements as soon as possible, but the time frame for the ceasefire was not touched upon. The conversation, according to Putin, was substantive and frank, and Russia is ready to work with Ukraine on a memorandum that could become the basis for a future peace treaty.

Trump, commenting on the conversation in an interview with Fox News, said that Moscow and Kyiv would "immediately begin negotiations" on a ceasefire and ending the war. He stressed that the terms of the agreement should be discussed directly between the parties to the conflict. According to the BBC, Trump notified the leaders of the European Union, including Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, George Meloni, Friedrich Merz and Alexander Stubb, as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, about the start of the negotiations.

Earlier, on May 16, the first meeting in three years between representatives of Russia and Ukraine took place in Istanbul, where the terms of a possible ceasefire were discussed. According to Reuters, Russia insists on recognizing Crimea and four regions, as well as on the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from these territories, which Kyiv rejects. Despite the lack of a breakthrough, the parties agreed to exchange 1000 prisoners from each side. Zelensky, commenting on the negotiations, said that "no decision on Ukraine will be made without its consent" and proposed holding a new meeting in Turkey, the Vatican or Switzerland.