The more than two-hour phone call on May 19 was seen by the two leaders as a major step forward in efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine.
According to Sputnik, during the phone call, President Trump clearly stated the US stance on ending hostile actions in Ukraine. On the Russian side, President Putin reaffirmed his readiness to work with Ukraine to build a memorandum of understanding including a ceasefire agreement.
Mr. Putin emphasized that Russia's stance is to root out the root cause of the conflict, and called on all parties to seek harmonious solutions that are acceptable to all relevant parties.
Mr. Putin said that the negotiations are on the right track and did not rule out the possibility of reaching a ceasefire within a certain period of time if appropriate agreements were reached. He also affirmed that Russia supports a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis.
The two leaders had a two-hour phone call on March 18, the longest such call between the two sides to date. During the phone call, the two sides agreed to suspend attacks targeting the energy infrastructure of both Russia and Ukraine within 30 days.
Earlier, on February 12, the two leaders also had a 9-minute phone call, in which they discussed the situation in Ukraine. During the meeting, President Trump called for an immediate end to hostile acts and a peaceful solution. President Putin once again stressed the need to address the root causes of the conflict.
