The US president advocated for increased discussions between Russia and Ukraine.
President Trump suggested that Presidents Putin and Zelensky should first hold a private meeting before considering a larger peace summit involving all three leaders.
Following his separate meetings with Putin in Alaska and Zelensky in Washington, Trump urged both nations to pursue a lasting peace agreement, even without a preliminary ceasefire, contrary to suggestions from some European leaders.
Trump stated on a radio program that after successful meetings with both presidents, he believes a meeting between Putin and Zelensky, without his presence, would be beneficial to assess the situation. He expressed his willingness to step in later, if necessary, to finalize an agreement, noting the historically strained relationship between the two countries.
He acknowledged the difficult relationship between Russia and Ukraine, expressing hope that progress could be made in their discussions. He also indicated his potential involvement in finalizing any agreement reached.
Zelensky had previously stated his readiness to meet with Putin.
While the Kremlin hasn’t officially responded to this proposal, Putin had previously mentioned being open to meeting Zelensky once negotiations reach their concluding phase. Yury Ushakov, a key advisor to Putin, affirmed Russia’s support for continued direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations.
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