MOSCOW – Russia on Tuesday called on Ukraine to decide whether it would engage in discussions over a proposed memorandum that could lay the groundwork for a future peace agreement, following a phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. Putin stated that Moscow was prepared to cooperate with Ukraine on the memorandum, which would outline key principles for a settlement, including the timing and terms of a potential ceasefire.
Putin described the peace efforts as being “on the right track” and expressed hope that dialogue could lead to a concrete framework for ending the ongoing conflict. The memorandum, according to the Kremlin, would focus on defining the structure of a peace deal and the timeframe for implementing a ceasefire.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stressed that the next step rests with Ukraine. “Now, accordingly, the ball is in Kyiv’s court,” she told reporters, urging Ukraine to take a “constructive position” on the matter. She argued that engaging in the talks would be in Ukraine’s interest for its own “self-preservation.”
Zakharova accused Ukraine’s European allies of attempting to obstruct direct peace dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv, but claimed those efforts had failed. She reiterated Moscow’s longstanding opposition to pressure from the European Union, criticizing the bloc’s newly imposed sanctions on Russia and accusing it of trying to re-arm Ukraine to prolong the conflict.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 triggered the most severe confrontation between Moscow and Western nations since the Cold War. Despite international condemnation and waves of sanctions, Moscow has remained defiant, continuing military operations and asserting it will not yield to external ultimatums.