Russia rejects an immediate ceasefire following a call between Putin and Trump

The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, reaffirmed on Monday his refusal to accept an immediate ceasefire in the 39-month war against Ukraine, following a two-hour call with the U.S. president Donald Trump.

In his subsequent statements, Putin said that Moscow is not ready for peace until the ''root causes'' of the conflict are addressed, although he expressed willingness to negotiate a future peace treaty that could eventually include a temporary cessation of hostilities.

Putin, 72 years old, declared that Russia is willing to work with Ukraine on a memorandum establishing the principles to solve the conflict, but he emphasized that ''the most effective paths to peace'' must be found that are acceptable to all parties.

He did not rule out a ceasefire ''for a determined period'' if adequate agreements are reached, although he showed no intention of implementing it immediately.

Trump, meanwhile, presented the conversation in optimistic terms through his platform Truth Social. He stated that Russia and Ukraine would begin negotiations toward a ceasefire and, ''more importantly, toward the end of the war.''

Additionally, he highlighted Russia's interest in resuming large-scale trade with the United States once the conflict ends, although he avoided mentioning the secondary sanctions he has considered in the past.

Meanwhile, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is preparing to introduce a bill that would impose secondary sanctions on any country that buys Russian oil, gas, or energy products, with broad bipartisan support in the Senate.

Trump reported that he shared the details of his conversation with Putin with several international leaders, including the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the French president Emmanuel Macron, the Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, the German chancellor Friedrich Merz, and the Finnish president Alexander Stubb.

He also mentioned that the Vatican, represented by Pope Leo XIV, has expressed interest in hosting the peace negotiations.

Zelensky, 47 years old, reiterated that Ukraine is ready for a total and unconditional ceasefire immediately, and he called on the international community to pressure Russia to stop the attacks.

The Ukrainian leader noted that Trump first spoke with him, then with Putin, and finally had a joint call with European leaders. He also showed willingness to meet with Putin in Türkiye, Switzerland, the Vatican, or any other place.

In a post on X, Zelensky warned that if Russia rejects the ceasefire and continues to present unrealistic demands, it will be clear that Moscow wants to prolong the war, and that warrants new sanctions from Europe, the United States, and the rest of the world. He reminded that Ukraine has always been ready for peace.

Putin described the call with Trump as ''frank and meaningful'' and thanked the U.S. initiative. However, he reaffirmed Russia's known position, based on unfounded justifications such as the ''denazification'' of Ukraine and the protection of Russian speakers.

The previous Friday, Ukrainian and Russian delegations met in Türkiye for the first time in more than three years, reaching an agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war from each side and committing to return to the table with new ceasefire proposals.

From the U.S. government, Vice President JD Vance declared that the Trump administration wants to verify if Putin is truly willing to negotiate peace, and warned that they are willing to abandon the attempt if they don't see clear signs.

''It's not our war,'' he insisted, repeating an approach that Trump later reaffirmed at the White House, where he declared that he would withdraw from the process if Putin doesn't show willingness to end the war.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin maintained that the conversation with Trump was relevant given the context of the negotiations in Istanbul. The spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, indicated that Putin remains firm in the plan he proposed on June 14, 2024.

That plan includes the total withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbas, the commitment not to join NATO, permanent neutrality, the use of Russian in schools, and the lifting of all Western sanctions.

Thus, while Ukraine calls for an immediate ceasefire and appeals to international pressure, Russia keeps a more demanding and strategic stance, which could prolong the negotiations and the suffering on the ground.