Trump begins arranging Zelenskyy-Putin meet, commits to coordinating security guarantees for Ukraine
New Delhi: US President Donald Trump Monday said that he has begun preparations for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, following the latter's visit to the White House accompanied by a raft of European leaders.
'During the meeting, we discussed Security Guarantees for Ukraine, which Guarantees would be provided by the various European Countries, with coordination with the United States of America. Everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine. At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy,' Trump posted on Truth Social.
The American president added: 'After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself. Again, this was a very good, early step for a War that has been going on for almost four years.'
Trump appointed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with special envoy Steve Witkoff, to coordinate with Moscow and Kyiv for these meetings. Trump's weekend of diplomacy has been perceived as a victory for Putin, who had been isolated by the Western leaders following the start of the current phase of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022.
Trump had promised to end the war within 24 hours of assuming power at the White House, while on the campaign trail last year. However, any deal, including a partial ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv has remained elusive. In the early months of his current presidency, Trump had applied pressure on Zelenskyy to accept his demands for peace negotiations, but in the last few weeks, he has taken aim at Putin for failure to end the war.
Besides training his sights on the Russian president, Trump has also taken aim at India for funding Russia's war machine through New Delhi's continued purchases of oil from Moscow. The US president imposed additional tariffs of 25 percent on India on 6 August, raising the total tariff burden placed on imports from New Delhi to 50 percent, which is set to begin at the end of this month.
Also Read: Amid Trump's tariff bombs, India's business with America surged while imports from Russia dipped 10%
US tilts towards security guarantees for Ukraine
French President Macron told reporters after the hours-long meeting between the leaders that the 'most important' outcome was Trump's commitment to work on security guarantees for Ukraine with his European counterparts.
The US president in the past has ruled out any guarantees to defend Ukraine, in case any peace deal with Russia breaks down in the future, while also making it clear that Washington DC does not support Kyiv's accession to NATO.
'We discussed security guarantees. This is a key issue, a starting point towards ending the war. We appreciate the important signal from the United States regarding its readiness to support and be part of these guarantees…The US President also supported a meeting at the level of leaders. Such a meeting is necessary to resolve sensitive issues,' Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X Monday.
The Ukrainian president added: 'Today was an important step, a demonstration of genuine unity between Europe and the United States. The leaders personally came to support Ukraine and to discuss everything that will bring us closer to real peace, to a reliable security architecture that will protect Ukraine and all of Europe.'
Zelenskyy was dressed in a suit during the current visit to the White House, after the falling out he had with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance during his last visit to Washington earlier this year.
Russian spokesperson Maria Zakhorova, before the meeting of the European leaders, rejected any potential peacekeeping force from NATO in Ukraine, asserting that such a situation could potentially lead to unpredictable consequences, according to media reports.
Moscow has been pushing for Ukraine to concede territory, especially the Donbas—provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk—a demand Zelenskyy has ruled out. Moscow has also laid claim to two other provinces of Ukraine—Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
Also Read: 'Dialogue & diplomacy' only way forward, says MEA as it welcomes Trump-Putin's Alaska summit
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