Trump says Ukraine war could end ‘quickly’ as he meets Zelenskyy

United States President Donald Trump has expressed optimism astir ending the struggle betwixt Russia and Ukraine arsenic helium hosted his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy astatine the White House.

On Friday, Trump besides told reporters that Zelenskyy volition “be successful touch” during upcoming negotiations successful Hungary, wherever the US president volition conscionable with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

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But nonstop talks betwixt the Russian and Ukrainian leaders are unlikely, according to Trump, who reemphasised “there’s a batch of blood” betwixt the 2 presidents.

“I deliberation we person a accidental of ending the warfare rapidly if flexibility is shown,” Trump told reporters.

For his part, Zelenskyy besides said helium was hopeful astir the imaginable of a resolution, citing Russian losses connected the battlefield and the Trump-brokered ceasefire successful Gaza.

“I deliberation this is simply a momentum to decorativeness Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.

“I deliberation that, yes, we recognize that Putin is not ready,” helium told Trump. “But I deliberation that I’m assured that, with your help, we tin halt this war, and we truly request it.”

Friday’s gathering marked Zelenskyy’s 3rd sojourn to Washington, DC, since Trump returned to bureau for a 2nd word successful January. The little but amicable gathering showed an betterment successful the ties betwixt the 2 presidents.

By contrast, Zelenskyy’s first visit, successful February, saw a testy speech successful the White House. Trump belittled the Ukrainian president, telling him – successful beforehand of reporters – that helium is successful a anemic position.

Vice President JD Vance joined the nationalist berating and accused Zelenskyy of failing to explicit gratitude to the US for supporting Ukraine. That gathering was yet chopped short, and Zelenskyy near the White House early.

Tomahawk push

On Friday, however, Trump lauded Zelenskyy arsenic a “very beardown leader” and complimented his suit jacket.

Still, the US president did not perpetrate to Ukraine’s petition for Tomahawk missiles, a marque of precise, long-range projectiles that Kyiv is seeking.

“They’re a precise almighty weapon, but they’re a precise unsafe weapon, and it could mean large escalation,” Trump said.

“It could mean a batch of atrocious things tin happen. Tomahawks are a large deal. But 1 happening I person to say: We privation Tomahawks also. We don’t privation to beryllium giving distant things that we request to support our country.”

The US president said helium volition proceed to speech astir the contented with Zelenskyy.

The Ukrainian president floated trading mass-produced Ukrainian drones for US Tomahawk missiles, a connection that Trump expressed openness to.

Zelenskyy besides stressed that Ukraine is acceptable for diplomacy with Russia to execute a ceasefire.

“We recognize what we request to push Putin to [the] dialog table,” helium told reporters. “And arsenic I said previously, we are acceptable to talk successful immoderate benignant of format – bilateral, trilateral, doesn’t matter. [What] matters [is] conscionable peace.”

When asked whether Ukraine would springiness up its ambition of joining NATO successful bid to unafraid an extremity to the war, Zelenskyy sidestepped the idea, saying information guarantees stay important to Kyiv.

NATO offers a communal defence pact to its members, meaning an onslaught connected 1 state is considered an onslaught connected all. Russia has opposed Ukraine’s efforts to articulation the alliance.

Zelenskyy, however, suggested connected Friday that Ukraine would besides beryllium satisfied with a defence confederation with the US.

“For us, bilateral information guarantees betwixt maine and President Trump is precise important. I don’t know, we didn’t talk with details astir it, but this is the astir important papers due to the fact that the United States is precise strong,” helium said.

Putin ‘wants to marque a deal’: Trump

Russia launched an all-out penetration of Ukraine successful February 2022, citing NATO’s enlargement into erstwhile Soviet republics.

Ukrainian forces succeeded successful fending disconnected the archetypal stages of the offensive, which aimed to seizure Kyiv. But the warfare has turned into a protracted conflict concentrated successful the eastbound parts of Ukraine.

Former US President Joe Biden showed unflinching enactment for Ukraine and worked with Congress to unafraid tens of billions of dollars successful subject and humanitarian assistance for Kyiv.

But Trump, who had promised to extremity the struggle swiftly, has been little committed to enactment for Ukraine.

Instead, helium has reestablished nonstop interaction with Putin, and helium has been pushing for a diplomatic extremity to the war.

However, successful a large displacement past month, helium asserted that Ukraine can triumph militarily and reclaim each of the territories captured by Russia during the war.

On Thursday, the US president held what helium called a “productive” telephone call with Putin to put the upcoming gathering successful Hungary. The 2 leaders had attended a bilateral acme successful Alaska successful August.

During Friday’s gathering with Zelenskyy, a newsman asked Trump whether Putin whitethorn beryllium engaging successful prolonged diplomacy to bargain clip and propulsion connected with the war.

“I’ve been played each my beingness by the champion of them, and I came retired truly well, truthful it’s imaginable – a small time,” Trump said.

“It’s each right, but I deliberation that I’m beauteous bully astatine this stuff. I deliberation that helium wants to marque a deal.”