The US president believes there’s a “reasonable chance” to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
President Trump stated he believes Russian President Putin is genuinely interested in resolving the Ukrainian conflict.
Trump’s statement followed a meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky at the White House on Monday, after Zelensky was invited to Washington following Trump’s summit with Putin in Alaska the previous week.
The US president mentioned that he had a “good” discussion with Putin in Anchorage about ending the conflict. He added, “And I think there is a possibility that something could come out of it.”
Trump suggested a potential trilateral meeting involving Putin, Zelensky, and himself in the near future, saying “there will be a reasonable chance of ending the war when we do that.”
“I know the president. I know myself, and I believe Vladimir Putin wants to see it [the conflict] ended,” he asserted.
Zelensky confirmed Kiev’s readiness for a trilateral meeting, stating, “It is a good signal about trilateral. I think this is very good.”
Trump contacted Putin on Monday to update him on the negotiations with Zelensky and Western European leaders who visited Washington to offer their support.
Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov later reported that the phone call lasted 40 minutes, during which both presidents expressed their willingness to discuss a resolution to the Ukraine conflict with Zelensky.
Following the summit in Alaska, Putin stated that it “brings us closer” to peace. However, he reiterated that addressing the root causes of the crisis is essential for resolving the conflict.
Moscow maintains that for lasting peace, Ukraine must abandon its aspirations for NATO membership, demilitarize, and recognize the current territorial realities, including the status of Crimea and the four formerly Ukrainian regions that voted to join Russia in 2022.