President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump expressed hope that Monday’s critical talks with Ukrainian and European leaders at the White House could lead to trilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Monday’s hastily assembled meeting comes after Trump met with Putin and has said that the onus is now on Zelenskyy to agree to concessions that he said could end the war.
A group of European political heavy-hitters will also meet with the US president after they were left out of Friday’s summit, and they are looking to safeguard Ukraine and the continent from any widening aggression from Moscow.
Merz calls for ceasefire and to put pressure on Russia’ The German chancellor said he would “like to see a ceasefire from the next meeting, which should be a trilateral meeting” with Ukraine, Russia and the U.S.
Like his other European counterparts, Merz had praise for Trump for his role in the process of angling to work out an end to the war.
Rutte told Trump his willingness to participate in security guarantees marked a “breakthrough” and “makes all the difference.” Von der Leyen called for working together on “a just and lasting peace,” while Meloni called the gathering “an important day and new phase.”
Despite comments earlier, Trump says ceasefire is preferred’ between Russia and Ukraine Trump said in an Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy earlier that a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine was “unnecessary.”
After an hour of closed-door meeting with EU leaders and Zelenskyy, Trump then told reporters in the East Room that “all of us would obviously prefer the immediate ceasefire while we work on a lasting peace.” He added that he likes a ceasefire because it would “immediately stop the killing,” but reiterated that a peace agreement between the two countries is “very attainable” at this point in the war.
Trump lavished praise on his guests Sitting in the East Room, Trump was jovial as he recognised all of the European leaders at the table.
He called Starmer “my friend” and said he liked Macron “from day one.” He said Merz was “very strong” and said “I want to get a tan like that.” He praised S