Washington – U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin “wants to end” the war in Ukraine, following a high-stakes meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.
The talks, also attended by European leaders including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, came just days after Trump’s summit with Putin in Alaska, where no ceasefire agreement was reached.
Trump hinted at the possibility of a trilateral summit involving himself, Putin, and Zelensky, while pushing for a political settlement. However, his optimism contrasted sharply with fresh Russian strikes on Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia that killed several civilians, which Zelensky condemned as “cynical” attempts to derail peace efforts.
The Ukrainian leader reiterated that Kyiv’s core demands—including sovereignty over its territory and security guarantees—remain non-negotiable.
Analysts say Trump’s comments reflect his strategy of fast-tracking negotiations, though skepticism remains over Moscow’s true intentions amid ongoing battlefield escalations.
