(MENAFN) Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni jointly spoke with US President Donald Trump in a Sunday telephone conversation to address Washington’s peace initiative aimed at resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Stubb told reporters.

Stubb, speaking to a media outlet after the G20 summit in South Africa, noted that progress in peace negotiations “need patience,” while adding that European nations were not briefed on Trump’s proposal prior to its public announcement.

“The key right now would be to get a ceasefire,” he said, mentioning that conversations regarding the plan are ongoing.

He emphasized that supporting Ukraine remains a central US priority, describing the call with Trump as “quite spontaneous” and expressing that he is “carefully optimistic but realistic."

Meloni similarly highlighted the importance of engaging with the US proposal, stressing that Europe must participate and provide input to help advance the process.

Addressing Italian journalists after the Johannesburg summit, Meloni noted the symbolic significance of holding the meeting in South Africa, stating that “there is no future without Africa.”

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