Trump Says Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire Talks will Begin Immediately Following Call with Putin

After a two-hour phone call with Vladimir Putin, President Trump says the Russian leader wants to end the fighting in Ukraine.

Trump said Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a cease fire and an end to the three-year long war.  

"I said, when are we going to end this, Vladimir I've known him for a long time now. I said, when are we gonna end this bloodshed, this blood bath? It's a blood bath. And I do believe he wants to end it," Trump said after the call Monday.

The president also told reporters the Vatican expressed interest in hosting the negotiations.

"I think it would be great to have it at the Vatican. There's tremendous bitterness, anger. And I think maybe that could help some of that anger," he said. 

Putin said the discussion was very informative and very frank – stressing Russia and Ukraine need to find compromises that would suit all sides.  

Brad Bowman of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told CBN'S Faith Nation Monday there are doubts about Putin's sincerity

"Seems to me that the former KGB Col. Vladimir Putin is continuing to do what he does best and that is being duplicitous, deceitful and to drag things out and extract as many concessions as possible. Until this administration, the Trump administration starts to impose serious consequences, additional consequences on Putin, I think we're going to see more of the same form the Kremlin," Bowman said.

President Trump said he's ready to back away if the two sides can't reach an agreement calling it a European situation that should have remained a European situation.