Russian presidential aide Ushakov issued a statement on the 19th saying that Russian President Putin, at the request of US President Trump, held a phone call during which both sides expressed support for Russian and Ukrainian delegations to continue direct negotiations.
He said in the statement that the phone conversation between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents lasted about 40 minutes and was frank and constructive. The two leaders expressed support for the proposal for their delegations to continue direct negotiations.
He stated that the two sides also discussed the idea of "exploring the possibility of raising the level of direct negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian representatives." The two presidents indicated they would maintain close communication on the Ukraine issue, international hotspots, and bilateral matters.