Trump and Putin hold phone call, agree to limited ceasefire in Ukraine

Summary of the conversation

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt summarized after the phone call: “The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace".

According to her, “these negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East.”

"President Trump and President Putin spoke about the need for peace and a ceasefire in the Ukraine war. Both leaders agreed this conflict needs to end with a lasting peace. They also stressed the need for improved bilateral relations between the United States and Russia. The blood and treasure that both Ukraine and Russia have been spending in this war would be better spent on the needs of their people. This conflict should never have started and should have been ended long ago with sincere and good faith peace efforts," the White House said.

Leavitt emphasized that the Russian leader and the President of the United States discussed the need to stop the proliferation of strategic weapons.

"The two leaders agreed that a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has huge upside. This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved," she wrote.

Putin agrees to 30-day ceasefire on energy infrastructure, presents long list of demands

The Kremlin said that Putin and Trump “expressed a common interest in normalizing relations in light of the special responsibility for ensuring security in the world” during the phone conversation, RIA Novosti quoted. In particular, the Russian leader said he was ready to work with the United States on possible ways to resolve the war, taking into account “the need to eliminate the root causes of the crisis and Russia's legitimate security interests.”

Regarding the proposed 30-day truce, Moscow identified “a number of essential points” and mentioned the need to stop forced mobilization in Ukraine and rearmament of the Ukrainian Armed Forces for this time.

“The most important condition for preventing the escalation of the conflict and working towards its resolution through political and diplomatic means should be a complete stop to foreign military assistance and the provision of intelligence information to Kyiv,” the Kremlin said.

The Russian side added that Moscow and Washington are interested in normalizing bilateral relations “in light of the special responsibility of Russia and the United States for ensuring security and stability in the world.”

Russia and Ukraine to swap 175 POWs, Kremlin says

At the same time, the Russian leader informed the US president that on March 19, Ukraine and Russia would exchange prisoners 175 for 175.

“In addition, as a gesture of goodwill, 23 seriously wounded Ukrainian servicemen who are being treated in Russian medical institutions will be transferred,” the Kremlin's readout said.

What led up to this  

At 6:27 p.m., NBC News, citing a White House official, said that the conversation between Trump and Putin had ended, having lasted more than an hour and a half. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov also confirmed the end of the dialogue, as TASS reported at 6:35 p.m.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump went “very well,” a Russian source with knowledge of the call told CNN.

Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s special envoy on international economic and investment cooperation, said in X post that "under the leadership of President Putin and President Trump, the world has become a much safer place today."

Donald Trump announced that on Tuesday, March 18, he planned to speak with Putin about ending the war in Ukraine, as well as discussing territories and power plants.  

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt commented on the upcoming call, stating, "We have never been closer to a peace deal than we are now."