Trump and Putin in conversation: Hope for a ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict!

Trump and Putin in conversation: Hope for a ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict!

On May 19, 2025, US President Donald Trump had a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin after previously consulting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky. The main goal of this conversation was to persuade Putin to call for a ceasefire in the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Despite efforts to find a diplomatic solution, the situation remains tense, especially after direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul have so far been unsuccessful crown reported.

The Russian army has seized settlements in the Sumy (Maryine) and Donetsk (Nowoolenivka) regions in recent days, which was partially confirmed by Ukrainian military observers. Meanwhile, leaders from Britain, the United States, Germany, France and Italy are increasing pressure on Russia with discussions about possible sanctions if Russia does not seriously seek a ceasefire.

Putin's rejection of the ceasefire

Russian President Vladimir Putin has not responded to calls for a 30-day ceasefire made by Ukraine and its Western allies. Instead, he offers to resume direct negotiations in Istanbul on May 15th. In a further step, he is planning timely talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Time reported.

In one of his statements, Putin expressed readiness for serious negotiations without preconditions, but did not rule out a ceasefire. Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed that the Russian leadership wanted to consider calling for a ceasefire, but publicly expressed a negative attitude. “Russia will not allow itself to be intimidated,” said Peskov. The deputy head of the Russian National Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, also rejected a ceasefire.

Criticism of Russian demands

Political scientist Tatjana Stanovaya does not expect peace to come soon and sees telephone conversations as unsuitable for conflict resolution. Russia is sticking to its maximum demands, which include, among other things, Ukraine not joining NATO and recognizing annexed territories. Ukrainian President Zelensky has in the past accused Putin of faking a ceasefire to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.

The last meeting between Ukrainian and Russian representatives took place in Istanbul, where both sides exchanged views on various issues but failed to reach an agreement. The meeting was brief and not open to the press. The Ukrainian delegation rejected numerous demands as “unacceptable,” while Russia described its position as unchanged.

The current situation remains tense as both sides blamed each other for violations of a suddenly declared three-day ceasefire. The path to a sustainable solution still seems distant, and the signals coming from both the Kremlin and the Ukrainian side highlight the ongoing differences.

Given these developments, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop and whether the announced talks between Putin and Erdoğan will lead to progress in the negotiations or whether the conditions will remain unacceptable for all parties involved. daily news points out that without clear agreements and compromises, a lasting peace solution is not in sight.