Trump planning for Putin-Zelenskyy meeting while affirming security guarantees
Trump affirmed that the U.S. would back European security guarantees but stopped short of committing U.S. troops to a collective effort to prevent Moscow from reinvading its neighbor.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer told a virtual meeting of the 'Coalition of the Willing' on Tuesday that there was 'a real sense of unity and shared goal of securing a just and lasting peace for Ukraine' at their White House meeting with Trump.
Starmer and Macron also discussed how more sanctions and other pressure could be placed on Putin until he shows he's 'ready to take serious action to end his illegal invasion,' according to the the Downing Street statement.
The U.K. Chief of Defense Staff, Adm. Tony Radakin, is travelling to Washington as teams from the coalition of more than 30 nations meet with U.S. counterparts to strengthen 'plans to deliver robust security guarantees and prepare for the deployment of a reassurance force if the hostilities ended,' the statement said.
French President Emmanuel Macron said it could happen 'in Europe' and he's advocating for Geneva in Switzerland, although he said it could be another 'neutral' country. He noted in an interview with French television TF1-LCI broadcast Tuesday that Istanbul hosted the most recent bilateral discussions, in 2022.
Meanwhile, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said his country would be prepared to organize such a summit, Swiss public broadcaster SRF reported.
Asked about the complication posed by the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for Putin, Cassis said 'the aim of receiving Mr. Putin in Switzerland without him being arrested is 100% achievable … of course, if he comes to Switzerland for the purposes of peace, for such a multilateral conference, not if he comes for private matters.'
Cassis said arranging for Putin to avoid arrest would require 'a certain procedure,' but it could be done 'in a few days.'
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