After a 40-Minute Call… Trump Announces Preparations for a Meeting Between Putin and Zelensky
U.S. President Donald Trump revealed that he has begun concrete preparations for a direct meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, with the location to be determined at a later stage.
The announcement came after a roughly 40-minute phone call between Trump and Putin, during which Trump interrupted a White House meeting with European leaders accompanying Zelensky on his visit to Washington.
German newspaper Bild reported that the meeting resumed after the phone conversation ended.
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Call Details
Yuri Ushakov, aide to the Russian president, disclosed details of the call between Putin and Trump.
He told reporters: “Half an hour ago, at the initiative of the U.S. president, a phone call took place between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.”
He added: “Trump briefed Putin on the outcome of his talks with Zelensky and the European leaders. Both sides also expressed support for the start of direct negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations.”
During the call, the Russian president extended his gratitude to his U.S. counterpart for the warm welcome and hospitality during their recent meeting in Alaska.
According to a source familiar with the talks, Putin told Trump he was ready to meet with Zelensky.
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Disagreements on a Ceasefire
Trump told reporters at the White House that achieving a ceasefire was no longer a prerequisite for reaching a comprehensive peace agreement—a stance closer to Moscow’s position and at odds with Zelensky and most European leaders.
“I hope the fighting stops, but strategically it may pose an obstacle for one of the parties,” Trump said.
The remark drew immediate European reactions. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stressed that any subsequent meeting “cannot take place without a ceasefire,” while French President Emmanuel Macron echoed the same stance, emphasizing the need to maintain pressure on Moscow.
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A Friendlier Atmosphere After Previous Tensions
Despite differences over the core of the settlement, the atmosphere between Trump and Zelensky appeared friendlier than in their last meeting six months ago, when Trump and his vice president J.D. Vance had openly criticized the Ukrainian president.
This time, Trump expressed warmth, telling reporters: “We love the Ukrainian people,” while Zelensky thanked the United States for its support and praised the ongoing discussions over security guarantees.
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Trump again proposed holding a trilateral summit with Putin and Zelensky, stressing that Putin “wants to end the war.” So far, however, the Kremlin has refrained from publicly committing to participate in such a meeting.
Pressure on the Ground
These developments coincided with a Russian military escalation that left ten people dead, including children, in overnight strikes on Ukrainian cities. Zelensky described the attacks as “naïve” attempts to derail his talks with Washington.
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