Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have agreed to seek a limited ceasefire in Ukraine on energy infrastructure, the White House has said, with further negotiations starting “immediately”.
A path towards peace in Ukraine will begin with a ceasefire on energy infrastructure, the US president and his Russian counterpart agreed, before they move towards an end to fighting in the Black Sea, and then a sustained ceasefire.
Talks to iron out agreement about the 30-day ceasefire will now take place in the Middle East, according to the US government.
The crunch talks between Mr Trump and the Russian leader came after Sir Keir Starmer spoke to the US president on Monday night.
In that call, the Prime Minister told Mr Trump that Ukraine must be put in the “strongest possible position” in order to secure a “just and lasting peace” in the war with Russia.
According to the White House, the two presidents agreed the conflict “should never have started and should have been ended long ago with sincere and good faith peace efforts”.
A readout from the US government also said: “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.
“These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East.”
The Kremlin, meanwhile, said Mr Putin told Mr Trump that America and allies must end military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine to halt hostilities.
Following a call between Sir Keir and Mr Trump on Monday night, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister updated the president on his coalition of the willing call with international leaders that took place on Saturday.
“He reiterated that all must work together to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position to secure a just and lasting peace.”
Sir Keir and French president Emmanuel Macron have been leading efforts to form a “coalition of the willing” made up of nations prepared to offer troops or support to a peacekeeping force if there is a deal to end the war.
Mr Putin has said he agrees in principle to a ceasefire but has put a series of conditions on any peace plan.
The US president said Washington and Moscow have already begun discussing “dividing up certain assets” between Ukraine and Russia as part of a deal to end the conflict, which could include Mr Putin being handed land and power plants by Kyiv.
Such a move would cause unease in Europe, being seen as a reward for Russia’s invasion of its neighbour.
Asked if the UK would be prepared to accept Russia being handed sovereignty over the Crimean Peninsula, which it annexed in 2014, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “We’ve always been clear that how, and on what terms, this war comes to an end can only be decided by negotiations with Ukraine at the heart of them.”
