Trump set to speak with Putin after meeting Zelenskyy
Photo: Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump says at the briefing in the Oval Office that he plans another call with Vladimir Putin, which he says will follow today's meetings with Ukrainian and European leaders.
During his exchange with the press, Trump said he had already briefed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on his talks with Putin at last Fridayэs summit in Alaska.
"We are going to have a phone call right after these meetings today. He (Putin - ed.) is expecting my call," Trump said.
According to Trump, today's discussions at the White House will determine whether a trilateral summit with Zelenskyy and Putin will take place. He added that such a summit could be arranged if everything goes well today.
Trump also stressed that he is interested in a long-term peace for Ukraine and suggested that, in his view, the country does not need a temporary ceasefire for that reason.
When asked whether US security guarantees could include sending troops to Ukraine, Trump did not rule it out directly.
Meanwhile, Senate Republican Majority Leader John Thune said the Senate is ready to give Trump every economic tool necessary to keep Putin at the negotiating table.
Today, Washington has become the epicenter of peace efforts — Zelenskyy arrived at the White House alongside European leaders. The main goal is to discuss with Trump possible paths to a peaceful resolution of the Russia–Ukraine war.
Last week, Trump met with Putin in Alaska. The meeting ended without concrete agreements, with Trump acknowledging there was no deal yet but saying that some progress had been made. Western insiders, however, report that Putin is pushing for territorial concessions from Ukraine as a condition for freezing the war.
Trump and Zelenskyy will first hold a one-on-one meeting before European leaders join them. Trump insisted that he “knows exactly what he’s doing,” while Zelenskyy emphasized that it is Moscow that must take steps toward peace.
One of the biggest questions now is whether a Trump–Zelenskyy–Putin trilateral summit will happen. Media reports suggest it could take place soon — in the Vatican, Geneva, or another European capital — as the most likely venue for serious talks on a peace deal.
