Trump meets Zelenskiy, says Putin wants war to end, mulls trilateral talks

Investing.com -- President Donald Trump said Monday he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine, suggesting potential progress toward peace negotiations.

Trump made the remarks during a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the White House’s Oval Office, which followed Friday’s Russia-United States Alaska summit where Trump met with Putin.

"I believe Putin wants it to end," Trump stated during the meeting, adding that there’s a "possibility that something could come out of Putin meeting."

The U.S. president hinted at potential three-way discussions, saying, "If everything works out well we’ll have trilateral meeting — and I think there will be a reasonable chance of ending the war when we do that." However, he cautioned that he "would not say it’s the end of the road."

Despite the optimism, the president said he doesn’t expect there to be a ceasefire.

The most significant sticking point is the land that Russia has occupied in fighting, which Ukraine wants back. The Russian leader reportedly wants Ukraine to hand over the remainder of the Donbas region to Moscow to end the war.  Zelenskiy has previously rejected the idea of giving up territory.

“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,” Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday, using an alternative transliteration of Zelensky’s name. 

Zelenskiy expressed gratitude to Trump, saying "Thank you Trump for your efforts" and emphasized the need to stop the conflict. The Ukrainian leader also indicated his readiness for "trilateral engagement."

Trump pledged continued support, stating he "will work with Ukraine and all to make sure peace stays" and that he "will work with Russia, Ukraine." He also promised "a lot of help on security."

The president said that he has spoken to Putin indirectly, and the two will have a phone call right after today’s meetings.

Trump and Zelenskiy Talk to Press

The two Presidents emerged from the meeting roughly an hour and half after it began, with Trump telling reporters at the White House that "peace agreement at end is attainable," adding that it "can be done in near future."

Trump said he plans to work toward organizing a trilateral meeting involving the United States, Ukraine, and Russia. He noted that Russia has agreed to accept security guarantees, though specific details remain under discussion.

"We will be considering who will do what," Trump said, adding that discussions would need to include "possible exchanges of territory."

While all parties would prefer an immediate ceasefire while working toward lasting peace, Trump acknowledged that "as of this moment that is not happening." Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that "collectively we will reach an agreement to deter aggression on Ukraine."

Zelenskiy, speaking after their meeting, confirmed they discussed "sensitive matters including security guarantees" and emphasized that "all of us want to finish this war and stop Russia."

The Ukrainian president highlighted the importance of strong security signals from the United States and expressed support for Trump’s proposed trilateral format, saying "Ukraine would be happy if Trump were there."