(MENAFN) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a ceasefire with Russia along the existing front lines, echoing a similar appeal made by US President Donald Trump.

“We have to stop where we are. The president is right,” Zelensky told reporters in Washington, DC, on Friday, adding that the pause would allow both sides to negotiate the next steps toward a peace agreement. “Yes, both sides have to stop,” he said.

The announcement came after Trump hosted Zelensky at the White House, following a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday. Trump has previously voiced frustration over the slow progress in his efforts to mediate between Moscow and Kiev.

In a post on social media, Trump wrote that he had urged both leaders to “stop the killing, and make a DEAL!” He added, “Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide! No more shooting, no more Death, no more vast and unsustainable sums of money spent.”

Moscow has stressed that a successful ceasefire would require Ukraine to withdraw from Russian-held territories and for Western nations to halt military support to Kiev. Putin has also demanded that Ukraine formally recognize Russia’s newly established borders and abandon its NATO membership ambitions.

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