During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, former U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war, whether it leads to continued conflict or peace, could be decided within one to two weeks. Trump indicated that another meeting would follow this one, after which a decision would be made. He emphasized his priority of saving people and expressed hope that the meeting would yield positive outcomes.
Trump mentioned that he had spoken indirectly with Russian President Vladimir Putin and would speak with him again after the meeting. He intends to try to organize a trilateral meeting. He acknowledged that the trilateral talks may or may not happen, and that the absence of such talks could mean the continuation of the war, while their occurrence could significantly increase the chances of its end.
Trump expressed his desire to stop the war and stated that they are discussing a long-term peace agreement. He highlighted the European desire for peace and noted that even if the meeting did not succeed, the U.S. would continue to support Ukraine.
Trump asserted that a ceasefire is not the primary requirement to end the war and that a peace treaty is more crucial. He sees a ceasefire as a temporary measure. He also held former President Joe Biden responsible for the war, claiming that it would not have started if he were still in office.
Trump also stated that the U.S. would provide security to Ukraine. He pointed out that Putin does not want Ukraine to join NATO, but that they have not yet discussed this in detail. He added that they would sell weapons to NATO, and NATO could then provide them to Ukraine. He asserted that the U.S. would help in the European war.
Zelensky described the meeting as a very good discussion and suggested that even better ones might follow. He stated that Ukraine would be happy to have a trilateral meeting with Trump and that they will discuss security guarantees further. He emphasized the importance of a strong signal from the U.S. and Russia’s preparedness for security guarantees.
Several European leaders also shared their perspectives. Germany emphasized the need to increase pressure on Russia and called for a ceasefire before the next meeting. Germany also anticipates that the next phase will be more difficult. France expressed concerns about the threat to the security of all of Europe and suggested the inclusion of a European leader in talks with Putin. The UK emphasized the need for security guarantees for all of Europe and the importance of creating an environment conducive to trilateral talks. Italy highlighted the importance of security guarantees for Ukraine, suggesting guarantees similar to Article 5. Finland stressed the need to move toward trilateral talks, citing experience in both war and reconciliation with Russia. Ursula von der Leyen urged Russia to stop killing people, while the EU prioritized security for Ukraine and the release of prisoners of war.
The meeting between Zelensky and Trump also included several European leaders at the White House, including Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the UK, Alexander Stubb, President of Finland, Emmanuel Macron, President of France, Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, Friedrich Merz, German Chancellor, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.