On the 19th, US President Donald Trump claimed that Russia and Ukraine would "immediately begin talks." However, according to the Financial Times, Trump clearly stated to European leaders that the US would no longer act as a mediator in the conflict and would let Ukraine and Russia negotiate a ceasefire directly. Since Trump did not promise any sanctions against Russia for rejecting negotiations, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a statement saying the only beneficiary would be Putin.

After a phone conversation with Putin and Zelensky, Trump announced on social media that Russia and Ukraine would soon begin ceasefire negotiations and emphasized that they should strive to end the war. In contrast, Russia's stance was more cautious, with the Kremlin stating that there had been no substantial change in its position regarding a peace agreement. Zelensky urged the US not to "marginalize" itself in efforts to promote peace and stressed that "the only beneficiary is Putin."

Trump pointed out that the conditions under which both sides can reach an agreement are best known to the parties involved, as they understand the negotiation details that outsiders cannot grasp. The Financial Times suggested that Trump's remarks indicate that Washington will no longer act as a mediator, and he mentioned that the Vatican is "very interested" in hosting these talks and could provide assistance.

Later that evening, Trump stated at the White House, "I think things will progress. If not, I will withdraw, and they need to continue on their own; this has always been a European problem."

After the call with leaders from various countries, Trump reiterated the content of the conversation to Zelensky as well as leaders from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, and the President of the European Commission. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that all participating leaders reaffirmed their willingness to support Ukraine in achieving a ceasefire. However, two informed sources told the Financial Times that Trump made it clear that he would let the US withdraw from the conflict and allow Ukraine and Russia to negotiate a ceasefire directly.

Following the call with Trump, Putin stated that he was ready to negotiate a memorandum on a peace agreement with Kyiv, potentially including a "limited time" ceasefire. Trump reported a "very frank and useful" dialogue to Russian state media, but Putin did not announce any significant changes regarding Russia's full invasion of Ukraine. Putin emphasized that the Kremlin's main goal remains to "eliminate the root causes of this crisis," which the Financial Times interpreted as meaning that Russia's core demands regarding military action against Ukraine had not changed.

Officials in Zelensky's office expressed uncertainty about the content of the so-called memorandum, asserting that Ukraine is "always ready to negotiate directly with Russia in any way that yields results" and there is no need to persuade Ukraine, as its representatives are willing to make substantive decisions in negotiations, requiring only a reciprocal willingness from the Russian side for meaningful dialogue.

Zelensky also called on Western partners to impose "tougher sanctions" on Moscow. However, the Russian negotiating representatives requested Kyiv to withdraw from certain territories last week, even threatening to further occupy more areas of Ukraine. European leaders were reportedly shocked by Trump's failure to commit to pressuring Putin toward peace or to guarantee any sanctions against Russia, while Putin's diplomatic advisor Yuri Ushakov stated that the call was "very respectful" and that Trump expressed support for normalizing US-Russia relations and the prospects of a very favorable future once the Ukraine conflict is resolved.