President Donald Trump paused his meetings with European leaders in Washington on Monday to place a call to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Germany’s Bild newspaper reported. The discussions are expected to resume after the call, which Trump had initially said would take place following the meetings.
The delegation accompanying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy included leaders from Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Finland, and the European Union, along with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
Zelensky-Trump Meeting in Oval Office
Zelenskyy, dressed in a military-style suit, arrived at the White House shortly after 1 p.m. and held a warm meeting with Trump in the Oval Office. The tone of this gathering was notably different from the tense encounter the two leaders experienced in February.
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Following their private discussion, Trump and Zelenskyy joined seven European leaders for a closed-door session focused on ending Russia’s three-year war in Ukraine.
Hope for Trilateral Talks with Putin
Both Trump and Zelenskyy expressed optimism that Monday’s talks could pave the way for trilateral negotiations with Putin to bring an end to the conflict.
This hastily organized meeting came in the wake of Trump’s recent summit in Alaska with Putin. The U.S. president has indicated that the responsibility now falls on Zelenskyy to consider concessions that Trump said could conclude the war.
What European Leaders Said Regarding Ukraine
European political leaders, who were absent from Friday’s summit, joined Monday’s session to discuss measures to protect Ukraine and the continent from further Russian aggression.
During his Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump stated that a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine was “unnecessary.” However, after an hour of discussions with Zelenskyy and the European delegation, he told reporters in the East Room:
“All of us would obviously prefer the immediate ceasefire while we work on a lasting peace.”
He added that a ceasefire would “immediately stop the killing,” but emphasized that a comprehensive peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine is “very attainable” at this stage of the conflict.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
