Following a gathering at the White House focused on the situation in Ukraine, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced he has initiated discussions regarding a potential direct meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The announcement was made Monday evening via a post on Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social. The extent to which Presidents Putin and Zelenskyy are agreeable to such a meeting remains currently unconfirmed.
Trump stated he held “a very pleasant meeting with high-level guests” at the White House, including President Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German opposition leader Friedrich Merz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
According to the statement, discussions centered on security guarantees for Ukraine, to be coordinated between various European countries and the United States. Trump indicated that all attendees expressed satisfaction with the prospect of a peaceful resolution between Russia and Ukraine.
Following the conclusion of the discussions, Trump stated he spoke with President Putin and began preparations for a potential meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents at a yet-to-be-determined location. He further stated his intention to convene a trilateral meeting following the bilateral talks, including himself, President Putin and President Zelenskyy.
