Trump Discusses Peace Talks with Putin and Zelensky

On Monday, President Trump mentioned that he had a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin after meeting with several European leaders at the White House. They began planning possible bilateral discussions, including a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

According to Trump, the encounter between Putin and Zelensky is likely to happen soon, marking a potential first for the two since the conflict started in February 2022.

“Once that meeting occurs, I will also join the two presidents,” Trump shared via The Society of Truth. “This is, I think, a promising early step in a war that has been ongoing for nearly four years.”

There’s a push among Trump and other world leaders for a trilateral meeting involving the three heads of state, with Zelensky visiting the White House for discussions on Monday.

Trump’s call with Putin followed an afternoon meeting with Zelensky and seven key European leaders, where they explored strategies for concluding the war in Ukraine.

“We talked about the security assurances for Ukraine that various European nations will provide, with the U.S. coordinating,” Trump noted through The Truth Society. “There’s a strong sense of potential for peace between Russia and Ukraine.”

During the gathering, Trump, Zelensky, and other European leaders expressed their commitment to ending the conflict. However, some disagreements were evident as the discussions unfolded.

German Prime Minister Friedrich Merz insisted that no further meetings with Putin should occur without a ceasefire agreement in place. Trump didn’t seem to agree, suggesting that a ceasefire wasn’t necessary to move toward a peace settlement.

As for the specifics of security guarantees for Ukraine, details were sparse. Trump has kept open the possibility of U.S. military involvement, but emphasized that Europe would take the lead.

Trump indicated that the decision on any potential territorial concessions would ultimately be for Ukraine to make, while also implying that some “land exchanges” might be inevitable. Images from the meeting showed Trump and Zelensky examining a map of Ukraine together.

This latest discussion at the White House followed Trump’s hosting of Putin in Alaska the previous Friday. Though both leaders claimed to have made progress, no concrete details emerged regarding a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.