Key points from Trump-Zelenskyy White House meeting on Ukraine peace
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accompanied by seven European leaders, visited the White House on Monday. This visit came just days after US President Donald Trump’s summit in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The discussions held in Washington featured personal exchanges between Trump and Zelenskyy, alongside a wider meeting that included European leaders.
In a statement to reporters, Trump indicated that the war in Ukraine could potentially be the “easiest” conflict to resolve. “I don’t know when this war will end but we have to end this war.” “Zelenskyy wants to end it, Putin wants to end it,” Trump stated. He stated, “I have ended six wars and I thought Russia-Ukraine would be the easiest.” I concluded the India and Pakistan war. “But I am confident we will end this war.” Trump emphasized that significant losses had already been incurred on both sides. “I know the president (Zelenskyy), and myself, and I believe Vladimir Putin want to see it ended,” he stated. Trump stated that any peace deal “must be long-lasting.” “We’re going to work with Ukraine, we’re going to work with everybody, and we’re going to make sure that if there’s peace, that peace is going to stay long-term,” he stated.
President Zelenskyy emphasized the need for a collective approach that includes both the US and Europe. “We are ready for a trilateral meeting with Russia and US for peace.” “We need support from our European partners and the US,” he stated. Among the European leaders attending the White House were French President Emmanuel Macron, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, EU President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Trump has revealed that he is in the process of organizing a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy. In a post on Truth Social, he stated, “At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting… Following the conclusion of that meeting, a trilateral discussion will occur, involving the two Presidents along with myself. Security guarantees and a $90 billion weapons plan are at the forefront of discussions. Zelenskyy stated that the discussions included plans for Ukraine to acquire $90 billion in American weaponry, with financial support from Europe, as part of new security guarantees. Another element involves Ukraine manufacturing drones, with some potentially available for purchase by the US.
According to CNN, he explained that these talks were still ongoing, with details expected to be finalised in the next 7–10 days. A lengthy dialogue regarding the map of occupied territories took place. Zelenskyy stated that he and Trump engaged in an in-depth discussion regarding a map presented in the Oval Office, which illustrated the regions of Ukraine occupied by Russia. “I argued about the percentage on the map because I know this percentage very well,” he stated. Zelenskyy characterized the exchange as “warm and meaningful,” despite the absence of a resolution.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated that European leaders have reached a consensus that Trump should communicate the details of the White House discussions to Putin. “It was coordinated,” Stubb told CNN, noting that one objective was to suggest a bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, which Putin agreed to in principle. French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that the key takeaway from the discussions was America’s readiness to engage in providing security guarantees for Ukraine. “We have agreed on several important points that were not as clear a few days or weeks ago,” stated Macron. He added that a coalition of 30 countries is now backing Ukraine’s security plans. Macron emphasized the importance of bilateral discussions between Putin and Zelenskyy, asserting that these talks should occur under a ceasefire. “Call it a truce or a ceasefire, but we cannot hold discussions under bombs,” he stated. Macron issued a warning that should negotiations collapse, Europe must prepare to escalate sanctions against Russia.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized that discussions at the White House did not involve any plans to redraw Ukrainian borders. “Everybody is clear, including [US President Donald Trump], that when it comes to territory, it is the Ukrainian president who has to discuss this in the trilateral,” he stated. He stated, “any talks about territory must be tied to security guarantees agreed upon by all coalition members.”
