Russian state media reports that a phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin has ended. "Generally speaking, we are on the right track," the Russian president said after a conversation that lasted more than two hours, which the RIA news agency described as "very informative and useful."
Putin, according to the TASS news agency, said that Russia and Ukraine must reach compromises that suit both sides before a ceasefire can be reached. It added that the Russian president advocates a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian crisis and is ready to work with Kiev on drafting a memorandum on future peace talks, the Guardian reports.
The IFX agency reports that Putin also stressed the need to eliminate the "root causes of the crisis."
After talks with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin said that efforts to end the war in Ukraine are "on the right track" and that Moscow is ready to cooperate with Ukraine on a memorandum on a possible future peace agreement.
Putin said that Trump recognized Russia's support for peace, although the key question is how to concretely move towards its realization.
"We agreed with the President of the United States that Russia will propose and is ready to work with the Ukrainian side on a memorandum on a possible future peace agreement, which would define certain points, such as the principles of the solution and the timeframe for a possible achievement of peace," Putin told reporters near the resort of Sochi, the Guardian reports.
He added that, if appropriate agreements are reached, a ceasefire could occur, emphasizing that direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine "give us reason to believe that we are generally on the right track."
"I would like to emphasize that Russia's position as a whole is clear. The main thing for us is to eliminate the root causes of this crisis. It is only necessary to find more effective ways to move towards peace," Putin stressed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke briefly by phone with the US president earlier in the day, before Trump's call to the Russian president, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters.
Trump reportedly spoke with Zelensky for a few minutes before calling Putin.
The Ukrainian president's office did not immediately comment on the call when contacted by Reuters.
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