US President Donald Trump on Monday gave a friendly welcome to Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House for talks on the Russia-Ukraine war, raising hopes of a peace deal. Trump expressed delight at Ukrainian President’s black suits as the two leaders shake hands. In a show of affection, Trump put his hand on Zelensky’s back before the two men went inside to the Oval Office, where their last meeting in February ended in disaster.
Trump Zelensky Meeting LIVE updates
Zelensky also signals that he was open to having a trilateral meeting with Trump and Putin to negotiate end to Russia-Ukraine war.
Trump said that the United States would “help out” Europe in providing security for Ukraine as part of any deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The leaders of France, Italy, Britain, Germany, Finland, the European Union and NATO also joined Zelensky.
Here’s what Trump said
— Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said that the United States would “help out” Europe in providing security for Ukraine as part of any deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine
— If everything works out today, we’ll have a trilat.
— We’re going to work with Russia, we’re going to work with Ukraine.
— I will talk to Putin after meeting with Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House.
— Trump also expressed hope that Monday’s summit could eventually lead to a trilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, adding that he believes Putin wants the war to end.
— I love the Ukrainian people, but I love all people, I love the Russian people. I love them all. I want the war get stopped.
— The war is going to end. When it ends, I can’t tell you, but the war is going to end, and this gentleman wants it to end, and Vladimir Putin wants it to end. I think the whole world is tired of it, and we’re going to get it ended.
— I’ve ended six wars, and I thought this maybe would be the easiest one, but it’s not the easiest one. It’s a tough one. There are a lot of reasons for it, and they’ll be talking about it for a long time, just like they’ll be talking about the others.
— I just spoke to President Putin indirectly, and we’re going to have a phone call right after these meetings today. And we may or may not have a trilat. If we don’t have a trilat, then the fighting continues. And if we do, we have a good chance.
— The First Lady (US) felt very strongly. She has great love for children and she has a wonderful son that she loves. She hates to see something like this happening and that goes for other wars too. She sees the heartbreak of parents, the funerals. We want to see something other than funerals. She would love to see this end (Russia-Ukraine war).
What Zelensky said
— Thank you very much for your efforts, personal efforts to stop killings and stop this war.
We need to stop this war, to stop Russia and we need support – American and European partners.
— We are ready for trilateral as president.
— It’s a good signal about trilateral. I think this is very good.
— Zelenskiy said he was open to holding an election in safe circumstances if the war with Russia comes to an end.
Yes, of course, I am open to holding elections, but we have to conduct them in safe circumstances…We need security to hold elections, said Zelensky after being asked if he is open to holding elections in Ukraine.
“We need … a truce, yes, everywhere — the battlefield, the sky and the sea, to make it possible for people to do democratic open legal elections.”