Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin may speak by phone for first time in over five years - Fox News

According to the source, the prospect of a call could be facilitated by the meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday.

"Sunday's talks between President Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy could pave the way for the first call between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin in more than five years," a source familiar with the discussions said.

While the Florida meeting was presented as progress in Trump-led peace efforts, the source said that securing a direct Zelenskyy–Putin call would amount to a diplomatic victory for the US president. Had Putin joined a call on Sunday, it would have been the most significant achievement in preparing peace talks and the first tangible step in the peace process, the source added.

"Trump seems to be the most successful mediator because the two of them, Putin and Zelenskyy, perceive each other emotionally, and it is a challenge."

According to the source, the talks centered on a US-backed 20-point peace plan developed over several weeks of negotiations. The document would require compromises from both Kyiv and Moscow to bring Zelenskyy to the table and potentially enable direct talks with the Russian side, possibly including Putin himself.

Why Putin stopped speaking with Zelenskyy

The source told Fox News that Putin has refused to speak with Zelenskyy since July 2020, when they last communicated over the Wagner-related scandal and the failed operation to detain Russian militants linked to the group. Since then, Zelenskyy has repeatedly sought contact, but Putin declined.

Relations between the two leaders were described as tense even before communication ceased. The source said earlier conversations were never cordial: Putin was typically terse, while Zelenskyy tried to establish rapport. According to the account, Zelenskyy often sought engagement when Putin remained largely silent.

"Before that point in 2020, calls between Zelenskyy and Putin were never friendly, and there was always tension between them. During talks, Putin was always taciturn, and Zelenskyy tried to establish a rapport."

The source added that there were opportunities for talks in August and September 2024, but they faded after Ukrainian forces entered Russia’s Kursk region.