Russian President Vladimir Putin said renewed contacts with Ukraine in Istanbul show both sides are "moving in the right direction."
Following a two-hour-call with US President Donald Trump on Monday, the Russian leader said that Moscow is ready to work on a memorandum for a future peace treaty.
Putin thanked Trump for supporting the resumption of direct talks between Moscow and Kiev, and said that Trump noted Russia's support for peace, though the key question was how to move towards peace.
"We have agreed with the president of the United States that Russia will propose and is ready to work with the Ukrainian side on a memorandum on a possible future peace accord, defining a number of positions, such as, for example, the principles of settlement, the timing of a possible peace agreement," Putin told reporters near the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
Path toward peace
If appropriate agreements are reached, then there could be a ceasefire, Putin said, adding that direct talks between Russia and Ukraine "gives reason to believe that we are generally on the right track."
"I would like to note that, on the whole, Russia's position is clear. The main thing for us is to eliminate the root causes of this crisis," Putin said. "We just need to determine the most effective ways to move towards peace."
Talks to start 'immediately'
Trump said that Russia and Ukraine would immediately start ceasefire talks after his talk with Putin, but the Kremlin leader fell short of agreeing to the unconditional truce proposed by Washington.
Trump painted a more upbeat picture of the situation after the two-hour call, as he desperately seeks a deal to end a grinding conflict that he had promised on the election trail to solve within 24 hours.
Waiting details
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had no details about a "memorandum" on a peace roadmap that Putin said he discussed with Trump, but was willing to look at Moscow's proposals.
"Once we have received the memorandum or proposals from the Russians, we will be able to formulate our vision accordingly, as we see it," Zelenskyy told reporters in Kiev, adding that he had no further details on the potential document.
Pope offer to host talks
Pope Leo XIV has offered to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks in a gesture welcomed by US and European leaders, Italy's Prime Minister Georgia Meloni said.
She said "the availability of the holy father to welcome the talks at the Vatican was judged positively".
The developments come after Russian and Ukrainian officials met for direct talks in Istanbul on Friday—their first in over three years. The discussions were part of a broader international push to end the war.
