After Gaza… Trump sets the peace compass toward Ukraine and receives Zelensky
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that he will host his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House next Friday.
The meeting is expected to address sensitive military and security issues related to the war in Ukraine and the defense relations between Washington and Kyiv.
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Speaking to reporters aboard the presidential plane on his return from the Sharm el-Sheikh summit in Egypt, Trump responded “I think so, yes,” when asked whether he would meet the Ukrainian president this week.
He added that the meeting “will be part of our ongoing efforts to bring peace to Europe and to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.”
For his part, Zelensky announced at a press conference in Kyiv that he would travel to Washington to meet Trump and officials in the defense and energy sectors, noting that “the main issue will be air defense,” while also referring to other meetings with representatives of military companies and members of the U.S. Congress.
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The visit comes amid intensified Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, threatening millions of Ukrainians with power and heating outages as winter approaches. Zelensky will be accompanied by a high-level delegation including
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, Presidential Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak, and National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov.
In recent days, Zelensky held two phone calls with Trump that addressed “Ukraine’s capabilities to conduct long-range strikes,” while Trump hinted that he might warn Russian President Vladimir Putin that Kyiv could receive U.S. Tomahawk missiles if Moscow does not end the war that has been ongoing since February 2022.
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Putin Sets a Condition for Peace with Ukraine and Seeks to Reassure Europe
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In a related context, Trump said Monday evening aboard his presidential plane that “Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could play a pivotal role in ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.”
He noted that Ankara “maintains relations with both parties and has the capacity to mediate effectively.”
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Preparations for a Putin–Zelensky Meeting… and a Gathering of Allied Military Chiefs
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Peace in Ukraine: Russia Demands Reliable Security Guarantees
