Trump Announces Putin-Zelenskyy Meeting, Moscow Remains Vague 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the White House said Tuesday, a day after US President Donald Trump spoke with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about resolving the war in Ukraine, CNN reported.  

“I had a very successful meeting with President Zelenskyy and now I thought it would be better if they met without me, just to see – I want to see what goes on. You know, they had a hard relationship very bad, very bad relationship,” Trump said on “The Mark Levin Show” on Tuesday. 

But Russian officials played down the proposed meeting, the Washington Post wrote. 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that while Moscow has not rejected any bilateral or trilateral meeting, he insisted that “any contacts involving the heads of state need to be thoroughly prepared.” 

Trump’s remarks came shortly after Zelenskyy left Washington this week without concrete commitments but with a clearer framework for future talks to end the war in Ukraine, the Associated Press reported. 

Monday’s high-stakes White House summit brought together Zelenskyy and seven European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.  

Discussions centered on how to secure Ukraine against future Russian aggression. While Trump ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine, he offered support for a less-ironclad security guarantee, saying that Europe would take the lead and that the US would “be involved” and provide “very good protection.” 

Zelenskyy welcomed the statement, calling it a “strong signal.” He later said security guarantees could involve a $90 billion US-Ukraine arms deal, including aviation and missile systems, as well as American purchases of Ukrainian drones, the BBC noted. 

European leaders broadly praised Trump’s convening power, though many stressed the importance of a ceasefire before deeper negotiations ensue.  

Merz said “the path is open now,” but warned that “the credibility of these efforts” depended on stopping the fighting, while Macron insisted that security guarantees must extend to the entire continent.  

Rutte called Trump “amazing” and emphasized that clarity on guarantees was needed before considering any territorial issues.  

For his part, Trump downplayed the need for a ceasefire and suggested that negotiations could proceed without one, remarks that align with Moscow’s position. 

Zelenskyy and European leaders have pushed back against the proposal, citing concerns that proceeding with negotiations before halting the fighting would give Russia an advantage, Politico added. 

Monday’s meeting came days after Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska without making much progress toward peace. 

Observers noted that Monday’s talks were a far cry from Zelenskyy’s last visit to the White House in February, when he was taken to task for not showing sufficient gratitude and for his casual attire.  

On Monday, the Ukrainian leader wore a blazer, repeatedly thanked Trump and the Europeans, and even engaged in light banter with reporters. 

Following the White House meetings, Trump phoned Putin for 40 minutes to discuss next steps. Later, he announced plans for a bilateral meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders, followed by a trilateral meeting that he will also attend. 

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov gave a cautious response, saying it was “worthwhile” to explore raising the level of negotiations. Meanwhile, Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev called the day “an important day of diplomacy” focused on “lasting peace, not a temporary ceasefire,” CNBC wrote. 

Key issues remain unresolved, including whether Ukraine will cede territory, the scale of future US involvement, and whether Russia is serious about a settlement.