Fresh Ukraine talks to begin in the Middle East following Trump-Putin call, White House announces

The White House has confirmed that fresh peace talks will begin immediately in the Middle East following a recent phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to a statement released by the White House, the two presidents discussed the urgent need for a ceasefire and a movement toward lasting peace. In their conversation, Trump and Putin agreed that the initial step towards peace would be a ceasefire focused on energy and infrastructure.

They also agreed to technical negotiations on a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, a full and permanent cessation of hostilities, and ultimately, a peace agreement.

The White House said that these technical discussions will begin immediately, with the Middle East serving as the venue for the peace talks. The region’s involvement is seen as a neutral ground for these discussions.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt further elaborated on the phone call in a post on social media platform X, stating that both leaders "spoke about the need for peace and a ceasefire in the Ukraine war."

"The two leaders agreed that a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has huge upside. This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved," she said.

In addition to the discussions on Ukraine, the two leaders also spoke about broader issues of strategic weapons proliferation and rising tensions between Israel and Iran.

Leavitt said that both Trump and Putin are hopeful for better relations between the US and Russia moving forward, believing that peace will not only stabilise the region but also unlock significant economic and geopolitical opportunities.

Both leaders expressed a shared vision of a future with improved bilateral relations, underscoring the potential for "enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability" once peace has been achieved.

The White House stressed that this conflict, which has claimed countless lives and resources, should have never started and should have been brought to an end much sooner.