Three phone calls in the past night, how far is Russia and Ukraine from a ceasefire?

Source: Wall Street News

Trump Says Russia and Ukraine Will Immediately Launch Ceasefire Negotiations  

Trump posted on social media on the 19th that he had just concluded a two-hour phone call with Putin, which went "quite smoothly." "Russia and Ukraine will immediately launch negotiations aimed at achieving a ceasefire, and more importantly, negotiations to end the war. Specific terms will be determined through consultation between the two sides, as they hold negotiation details that others cannot know."  

Trump said the call had a "very good tone and atmosphere," and the Russian side expressed a desire to carry out large-scale trade with the U.S. after the end of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, an idea he endorsed. "Russia has enormous opportunities to create massive employment and wealth, with unlimited potential. Similarly, during national reconstruction, Ukraine can also benefit greatly from trade."  

Putin Willing to Jointly Draft Peace Memorandum with Ukraine  

Putin stated after the call that his conversation with Trump was substantive and candid. The Russian position is clear: the root causes of the conflict should be eliminated. Russia favors a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis but believes more effective ways to achieve peace must be identified.  

Putin noted that the current issue is that both Russia and Ukraine should maximally demonstrate their willingness for peace and find compromise solutions acceptable to all parties. He reached an agreement with Trump that Russia would propose suggestions and is willing to jointly draft a memorandum on a potential future peace treaty with Ukraine.  

After the talks, Russian Presidential Aide Ushakov held a briefing on Putin's call with Trump. He said a face-to-face meeting between the two heads of state is not ruled out, though specific timing and location have not yet been determined.  

Zelensky Urges U.S. Not to Make Decisions for Ukraine Without Its Involvement  

On the evening of May 19 local time, Zelensky stated at a briefing after his call with Trump that during their first conversation of the day, he emphasized three key demands: the need for a ceasefire, sanctions against Russia, and that the U.S. "must not make any decisions related to Ukraine without Ukraine's participation."  

It is reported that Zelensky had two calls with Trump that day: first a one-on-one conversation; after Trump spoke with Russian President Putin, Zelensky participated in a joint call with Trump alongside European Commission President von der Leyen, French President Macron, Italian Prime Minister Meloni, German Chancellor Merz, and Finnish President Stubb.  

Zelensky said Russia and Ukraine could first sign a memorandum as proposed by Russian President Putin, followed by an agreement to end the full-scale conflict. He also noted that after receiving Russia's proposals for the memorandum, Ukraine would be able to determine its position.  

Zelensky further stated that Ukraine is considering holding a joint meeting involving the U.S., Ukraine, Russia, and the EU. It is revealed that such a meeting could be held in Turkey, the Vatican, or Switzerland.  

Zelensky also warned that if Russia does not cease fire, the EU will impose a package of severe sanctions on Russia.  

Fighting Continues Amidst Negotiations  

On May 19 local time, the Ukrainian Armed Forces released a war report stating that in the early morning, Russia launched a drone attack on Sumy Oblast, injuring two people. Additionally, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that since 23:00 on the 18th, Russian forces had used 112 attack drones to strike Ukraine. As of 09:30 on the 19th, Ukrainian air defense missile forces, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire teams had shot down 76 drones in eastern, northern, and central Ukraine, with another 35 drones losing their targets.  

The Russian Defense Ministry reported on the 19th that over the past day, Russian forces had repelled multiple Ukrainian offensives and launched several attacks in directions including Sumy and Kharkiv, killing and wounding over 1,215 Ukrainian personnel. Russian forces also struck military airports, ammunition depots, material and technical equipment infrastructure, and temporary deployment sites of Ukrainian forces and foreign mercenaries in 142 areas. Russian air defense systems shot down 127 drones.  

Hungary Calls on EU Not to Hinder Negotiations  

Hungarian Foreign Minister西雅尔多 stated on social media on the 19th that Hungary has lived on the brink of war for over three years and has called for a ceasefire and peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine for over three years. Now that direct negotiations will take place between the U.S. and Russia, as well as between Russia and Ukraine, he urged the EU and European politicians who have attacked Hungary over its peace stance in the past three years not to obstruct the peace talks.  

西雅尔多 said Hungary fully supports peace efforts and hopes for an early ceasefire and a comprehensive peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.  

Ukrainian President: Willing to Negotiate in Any Form but Rules Out Territorial Compromises or Withdrawal of Troops  

Ukrainian President Zelensky stated late on the 19th after concluding his call with U.S. President Trump that Ukraine is willing to engage in direct negotiations with Russia "in any form that produces results" but will not compromise on territorial issues.  

Zelensky posted on social media late on the 19th that he had two calls with Trump that day, one of which was before Trump's call with Russian President Putin. He reiterated to Trump Ukraine's stance in favor of a comprehensive and unconditional ceasefire and called on the U.S. and Europe to continue pressuring Russia to facilitate a "genuine peace."  

Zelensky said Ukraine is ready to engage in direct negotiations with Russia "in any form that produces results" and is considering all potential negotiation venues, including Turkey, the Vatican, and Switzerland.  

Zelensky added that he also discussed possible further measures with European leaders, including objective evaluations of various proposals. He believes representatives from the U.S. and Europe should be involved in the negotiation process "to a certain extent," and it is particularly important for the U.S. not to "fade away" from peace efforts.  

According to Ukrainian International Telegraph Agency, Zelensky emphasized at a press conference in Kyiv after Trump ended his call with Putin on the 19th that Ukraine will not compromise on territorial issues or withdraw from its territory. Ukraine's principled conditions for ending the war include a ceasefire, exchange of prisoners, and return of Ukrainian children.  

**Disclaimer**: The views in this article represent only the author’s personal opinions and do not constitute investment advice on this platform. This platform makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, originality, or timeliness of the article’s information, nor shall it be liable for any losses arising from the use of or reliance on the article’s content.