Washington, 19 August (Kiran News): US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are holding high-level talks with European leaders at the White House on Monday. This meeting is being seen as a significant step towards ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
Before the meeting, Trump and Zelensky held a joint press conference in the Oval Office. During the conference, Trump said that “considerable progress” has been made in his discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He indicated that if everything goes well, a trilateral meeting could take place as early as today, providing a “reasonable chance” to end the war.
Trump to Speak to Putin After the Meeting
In response to a question from journalists about whether the US is ending aid to Ukraine, Trump said, “If everything goes well, we can hold a trilateral meeting, and there will be a fair opportunity to end the war.” He clarified that American support for Ukraine has not ended—“People are dying, and we want to stop this.”
Zelensky Thanks the US First Lady
Zelensky thanked Trump for his efforts to stop the war and also expressed gratitude to former First Lady Melania Trump for her letter to Putin. The letter stated that now is the time to ensure the safety of children and future generations.
Elections Possible After Restoration of Peace: Zelensky
Regarding the possibility of holding elections during the war, the Ukrainian President said it would depend entirely on security conditions. When asked about the possibility of changing maps (ceding territory to Russia), he pointed to Russia’s ongoing attacks and clarified that the aim is to stop the war and find a solution through diplomacy.
US to Participate in Ukraine’s Security
On the question of sending American peacekeepers, Trump suggested that the US and Europe would jointly provide long-term security to Ukraine. He said, “When it comes to security, there will be a lot of support… They (Europe) are the first line of defence, but we will also be involved.” Trump did not rule out the possibility of sending US peacekeepers to Ukraine and said, “We will give them very good security.”
Trump also claimed that he has previously ended six wars and thought this would be the easiest, but it has proven to be quite challenging.
The ongoing meeting at the White House on ending the Russia-Ukraine war is also attended by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
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