US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke for more than two hours on Monday.
It came after the White House said the US leader has grown “frustrated” with the conflict and planned a separate call with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky in the hope of making progress toward a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine.
Moscow is ready to work toward ending fighting in Ukraine, Mr Putin said following the call.
He said Russia was in favour of a “peaceful settlement” and that compromises would need to be found to suit both parties.
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone for more than two hours (AP)
He also described the conversation with Mr Trump as “frank and meaningful”.
The White House did not immediately provide its own account of the call.
Mr Trump expressed his hopes for a “productive day” on Monday — and a ceasefire — in a social media post over the weekend.
His effort will also include calls to Nato leaders.
But ahead of the call, Vice President JD Vance said Mr Trump is “more than open” to walking away from trying to end the war if he feels Mr Putin is not serious about negotiation.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the conversation “important, given the talks that took place in Istanbul” last week between Russian and Ukrainian officials, the first such negotiations since March 2022.
Mr Trump has struggled to end a war that began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022, and that makes these conversations a serious test of his reputation as a deal maker after having claimed he would quickly settle the conflict once he was back in the White House, if not even before he took office.
“He’s grown weary and frustrated with both sides of the conflict,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday ahead of the call.
“He has made it clear to both sides that he wants to see a peaceful resolution and ceasefire as soon as possible.”
The Republican president is banking on the idea that his force of personality and personal history with Mr Putin will be enough to break any impasse over a pause in the fighting.
“I’d say we’re more than open to walking away,” Mr Vance told reporters before leaving Rome after meeting with Pope Leo XIV.
Mr Vance said Mr Trump has been clear that the US “is not going to spin its wheels here. We want to see outcomes”.
Mr Trump’s “sensibilities are that he’s got to get on the phone with President Putin, and that is going to clear up some of the logjam and get us to the place that we need to get to,” said Mr Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff.
“I think it’s going to be a very successful call.”