Good old friends Putin and Trump want to have Ukraine settled before Easter or May 9

Ukrainian and Western officials believe that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will attempt to reach a deal by Easter (April 20) or May 9. The two presidents spoke on the phone, after which Trump announced an agreement to begin negotiations immediately, The Financial Times (FT) reports.

U.S. and Russian Leaders Pushing for a Ceasefire by Spring

According to high-ranking Ukrainian and Western officials, Trump and Putin are likely to aim for a ceasefire by Easter or May 9, the date marking the 80th anniversary of Victory Day.

"Putin will want to conclude a deal on one of these significant dates," a Ukrainian official told the FT.

Following Trump's inauguration, Washington concluded that a Ukrainian victory on Kyiv's terms was "unrealistic."

The day before, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that a return to pre-2014 borders was "not realistic." He also emphasized that Ukraine's security guarantees should not come at the cost of NATO membership.

Trump echoed this stance, calling Ukraine's NATO accession "unrealistic" as part of a peace agreement. He also expressed doubt that Kyiv could reclaim its 2014 borders but suggested that Ukraine might regain some lost territories in the future.

"I think some of it will come back," Trump stated.

Trump and Putin Agree to Start Talks Immediately

After a February 12 phone call with Putin, Trump announced that he had agreed with the Russian leader to "immediately" start negotiations on Ukraine.

The Kremlin confirmed that the U.S. president advocated for a swift, peaceful resolution to the conflict, and Putin agreed that long-term stability could only be achieved through diplomatic talks.

Following his conversation with Putin, Trump also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky reportedly told Trump that Kyiv "wants peace more than anyone" and supported his approach, saying "Let's get it done."

Trump Announces His Negotiating Team

Trump announced that his negotiating team would include:

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio,
• CIA Director John Ratcliffe,
• National Security Advisor Michael Waltz,
• Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.

Notably, Trump did not include Keith Kellogg, the U.S. envoy for Ukraine, who had previously pushed for tougher sanctions on Russia and continued military aid to Ukraine, the FT reports.

The Kremlin confirmed that Russia was also forming its own negotiation team for direct talks with the U.S.