In a bid to end the Russia-Ukraine war, US President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Monday. The meeting took place in the Oval Office, where Trump addressed the press alongside Zelensky after his arrival.
During the press interaction, Trump emphasized his desire for long-term peace in Ukraine, stating that the United States would assist Europe in providing security guarantees for Ukraine as part of any peace agreement. He also expressed interest in arranging a trilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky. When asked whether US peacekeepers would be deployed to ensure Ukraine’s security post-conflict, Trump responded, “We’re going to work with Ukraine. We’ll work with everybody to ensure long-term peace. We’ll work with both Russia and Ukraine to make sure it [the agreement] works.”
Trump indicated that he no longer considers a ceasefire a prerequisite for peace negotiations, aligning with Putin’s stance. When asked which side—Russia or Ukraine—holds the upper hand, Trump declined to answer, stating, “This isn’t my war. It needs to end for everyone’s sake.” Regarding Ukraine’s security, he stressed that the US would provide significant support, with European nations taking the lead as Ukraine’s neighbors, and the US joining in the effort.
Zelensky, who remained relatively quiet, said, “We need to stop this war. We need to stop Russia.” He expressed support for Trump’s diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and endorsed the idea of a trilateral meeting with Putin.
Following the meeting with Zelensky, Trump held discussions with European leaders, including representatives from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, the European Union, and NATO. The high-level gathering underscored the urgency of resolving the conflict, which has persisted since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
The meeting came days after Trump’s summit with Putin in Alaska on Friday, where expectations for a ceasefire agreement were unmet. Initially, Trump had pushed for a 60-day ceasefire, but after the Alaska talks, he shifted focus to direct negotiations for a peace deal. In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump stated that Ukraine would not regain Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, nor join NATO as part of any agreement.
According to Reuters, citing sources, Putin proposed during the Alaska summit that Ukraine cede the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in exchange for Russia relinquishing smaller occupied territories, a condition that would halt fighting along the front line. However, Zelensky has consistently opposed surrendering Ukrainian territory. In a Telegram post after arriving in Washington on Sunday, he wrote, “Russia must end the war it started. I hope our combined strength with the US and European allies will force Russia to accept true peace.”
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