On May 19, 2025, at 17:00 Moscow time, a telephone conversation began between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt said, citing administration officials. This was reported by Reuters. The conversation, the third since Trump took office in January 2025, is aimed at discussing an end to hostilities in Ukraine and bilateral trade issues. The conversation is taking place against the backdrop of an escalation in the conflict and expectations from the international community that it could lay the groundwork for a ceasefire.

Caroline Levitt stressed that Trump is "deeply disappointed" with the positions of both sides in the conflict, but is committed to achieving a ceasefire.

"The President is open to the idea of ​​a personal meeting with Putin if it will bring peace closer," “she said, adding that an official statement would be made following the conversation.

At the same time, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov confirmed the start of the conversation, but noted that Moscow is not planning a meeting of the leaders in the near future, preferring to focus on the current negotiations.

According to Reuters, Trump is set to discuss a 30-day ceasefire proposal that Kyiv has previously supported, but Moscow has set a number of conditions, including halting Western arms supplies to Ukraine. Bloomberg reports that Putin sees Russia as strong on the battlefield and is reluctant to make significant concessions, complicating the talks.