Zelenskyy's involvement in summit yet to be ruled out
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ABC News
4 hours ago
- ABC News
European leaders to join Ukraine's Zelenskyy for White House meeting with Trump
European leaders from Germany, France and Britain say they will accompany Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet Donald Trump in Washington, seeking to bolster him as the US president presses Ukraine to accept a quick peace. Ahead of the White House talks on Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer were hosting a meeting of allies on Sunday to shore up Mr Zelenskyy's position. The leaders were hoping in particular to lock down robust security guarantees for Ukraine that would include a US role. Mr Trump is leaning on Ukraine to strike an agreement after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska. According to sources, the US and Russian leaders discussed proposals for Russia to relinquish tiny pockets of occupied Ukraine in exchange for Ukraine ceding a swathe of land and freezing the front lines elsewhere. At face value, some of Mr Putin's demands would be hugely difficult for Ukraine to accept, setting the stage for potentially fraught talks about ending Europe's deadliest war in 80 years, which has killed or wounded more than 1 million people. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will also travel to Washington, as will Finland's President Alexander Stubb, whose access to Trump included rounds of golf in Florida earlier this year. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who is an admirer of many of Mr Trump's policies, will also go to Washington, her office said. European allies are keen to avoid a repeat of Mr Zelenskyy's last Oval Office meeting in February, where Mr Trump berated him publicly for being "disrespectful". "The talks will address, among other things, security guarantees, territorial issues, and continued support for Ukraine in its defence against Russian aggression," the German government said in a statement about the Washington trip. "This includes maintaining pressure on sanctions." Mr Macron, Mr Merz and Mr Starmer will host a virtual meeting of the "coalition of the willing" — a grouping of allies of Kyiv — on Sunday. Ms Von der Leyen will host Mr Zelenskyy in Brussels from where the two leaders will also dial in. European powers want to help set up a trilateral meeting between Mr Trump, Mr Putin and Mr Zelenskyy to make sure Ukraine has a seat at the table to shape its future. They also want security guarantees for Ukraine with US involvement, and the ability to crank up pressure on Moscow if needed. "They will spell out what they consider essential in terms of security guarantees: what they can do themselves, what falls to the coalition of volunteers, and also what they expect from the United States," a European government official said. "Indeed, they expect a very robust commitment." Mr Trump said on Friday that Ukraine should make a deal to end the war with Russia because "Russia is a very big power, and they're not". After the Alaska summit with Mr Putin, Mr Trump phoned Mr Zelenskyy and told him the Kremlin chief had offered to freeze most front lines if Kyiv ceded all of Donetsk, the industrial region that is one of Moscow's main targets, a source familiar with the matter said. Mr Zelenskyy rejected the demand, the source said. Russia already controls a fifth of Ukraine, including about three-quarters of Donetsk province, which it first entered in 2014. Mr Trump also said he agreed with Mr Putin that a peace deal should be sought without the prior ceasefire that Ukraine and its European allies have called for. That was a reversal of his position before the summit, when he said he would not be happy unless a ceasefire was agreed on. Mr Zelenskyy said Russia's unwillingness to pause the fighting would complicate efforts to forge a lasting peace. "Stopping the killing is a key element of stopping the war," he said on X. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has been gradually advancing for months. In his statement after the Alaska summit, Mr Putin signalled no movement in Russia's long-held demands, which also include a veto on Kyiv's desired membership in the NATO alliance. He also warned Ukraine and its European allies not to "create any obstacles". "That they will not attempt to disrupt the emerging progress through provocation or behind-the-scenes intrigue," he said. Reuters
The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Trump urges Ukraine deal as Europe backs Zelenskiy
European leaders will join with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at a key meeting with President Donald Trump after the US president's summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed she will travel to Washington with other European leaders for the gathering at the White House on Monday. Among those making the trip will be French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni along with the leaders of Finland and Sweden. The European leaders were also meeting with Zelenskiy on Sunday as part of the Coalition of the Willing. The show of support comes after Trump said Ukraine should make a deal to end the war with Russia because "Russia is a very big power, and they're not". After the Alaskan meeting, Trump told Zelenskiy the Russian president had offered to freeze most front lines if Kyiv ceded all of Donetsk, the industrial region that is one of Moscow's main targets, a source familiar with the matter said. Zelenskiy rejected the demand, the source said. Russia already controls a fifth of Ukraine, including about three-quarters of Donetsk province, which it first entered in 2014. Trump also said he agreed with Putin that a peace deal should be sought without the prior ceasefire that Ukraine and its European allies had demanded. That was a change from his position before the summit, when he said would not be happy unless a ceasefire was agreed on. "It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up," Trump posted on Truth Social. Zelenskiy said Russia's unwillingness to pause the fighting would complicate efforts to forge a lasting peace. "We see that Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing," he said on social media. "This complicates the situation. "If they lack the will to carry out a simple order to stop the strikes, it may take a lot of effort to get Russia to have the will to implement far greater - peaceful coexistence with its neighbours for decades. "But together we are working for peace and security. Stopping the killing is a key element of stopping the war." Nevertheless, Zelenskiy said he would meet Trump on Monday. That will evoke memories of a meeting in the White House Oval Office in February, where Trump and Vice President JD Vance gave Zelenskiy a brutal public dressing-down. Trump said a three-way meeting with Putin and Zelenskiy could follow. Kyiv's European allies welcomed Trump's efforts but vowed to back Ukraine and tighten sanctions on Russia. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has been gradually advancing for months. The war - the deadliest in Europe for 80 years - has killed or wounded well over a million people from both sides, including thousands of mostly Ukrainian civilians, according to analysts. At the Alaskan meeting, Putin signalled no movement in Russia's long-held demands, which also include a veto on Kyiv's desired membership in the NATO alliance. In a TV interview Trump signalled that he and Putin had discussed land transfers and security guarantees for Ukraine, and had "largely agreed". "I think we're pretty close to a deal," he said, adding: "Ukraine has to agree to it. Maybe they'll say 'no'." Asked what he would advise Zelenskiy to do, Trump said: "Gotta make a deal." "Look, Russia is a very big power, and they're not," he added. Zelenskiy has consistently said he cannot concede territory without changes to Ukraine's constitution, and Kyiv sees Donetsk's "fortress cities" such as Sloviansk and Kramatorsk as a bulwark against further Russian advances. Zelenskiy has also insisted on security guarantees, to deter Russia from invading again. For Putin, just sitting down with Trump represented a victory. He had been ostracised by Western leaders since the start of the war, and just a week earlier had faced a threat of new sanctions from Trump. Trump spoke to European leaders after returning to Washington. Several stressed the need to keep pressure on Russia. European leaders will join with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at a key meeting with President Donald Trump after the US president's summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed she will travel to Washington with other European leaders for the gathering at the White House on Monday. Among those making the trip will be French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni along with the leaders of Finland and Sweden. The European leaders were also meeting with Zelenskiy on Sunday as part of the Coalition of the Willing. The show of support comes after Trump said Ukraine should make a deal to end the war with Russia because "Russia is a very big power, and they're not". After the Alaskan meeting, Trump told Zelenskiy the Russian president had offered to freeze most front lines if Kyiv ceded all of Donetsk, the industrial region that is one of Moscow's main targets, a source familiar with the matter said. Zelenskiy rejected the demand, the source said. Russia already controls a fifth of Ukraine, including about three-quarters of Donetsk province, which it first entered in 2014. Trump also said he agreed with Putin that a peace deal should be sought without the prior ceasefire that Ukraine and its European allies had demanded. That was a change from his position before the summit, when he said would not be happy unless a ceasefire was agreed on. "It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up," Trump posted on Truth Social. Zelenskiy said Russia's unwillingness to pause the fighting would complicate efforts to forge a lasting peace. "We see that Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing," he said on social media. "This complicates the situation. "If they lack the will to carry out a simple order to stop the strikes, it may take a lot of effort to get Russia to have the will to implement far greater - peaceful coexistence with its neighbours for decades. "But together we are working for peace and security. Stopping the killing is a key element of stopping the war." Nevertheless, Zelenskiy said he would meet Trump on Monday. That will evoke memories of a meeting in the White House Oval Office in February, where Trump and Vice President JD Vance gave Zelenskiy a brutal public dressing-down. Trump said a three-way meeting with Putin and Zelenskiy could follow. Kyiv's European allies welcomed Trump's efforts but vowed to back Ukraine and tighten sanctions on Russia. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has been gradually advancing for months. The war - the deadliest in Europe for 80 years - has killed or wounded well over a million people from both sides, including thousands of mostly Ukrainian civilians, according to analysts. At the Alaskan meeting, Putin signalled no movement in Russia's long-held demands, which also include a veto on Kyiv's desired membership in the NATO alliance. In a TV interview Trump signalled that he and Putin had discussed land transfers and security guarantees for Ukraine, and had "largely agreed". "I think we're pretty close to a deal," he said, adding: "Ukraine has to agree to it. Maybe they'll say 'no'." Asked what he would advise Zelenskiy to do, Trump said: "Gotta make a deal." "Look, Russia is a very big power, and they're not," he added. Zelenskiy has consistently said he cannot concede territory without changes to Ukraine's constitution, and Kyiv sees Donetsk's "fortress cities" such as Sloviansk and Kramatorsk as a bulwark against further Russian advances. Zelenskiy has also insisted on security guarantees, to deter Russia from invading again. For Putin, just sitting down with Trump represented a victory. He had been ostracised by Western leaders since the start of the war, and just a week earlier had faced a threat of new sanctions from Trump. Trump spoke to European leaders after returning to Washington. Several stressed the need to keep pressure on Russia. European leaders will join with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at a key meeting with President Donald Trump after the US president's summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed she will travel to Washington with other European leaders for the gathering at the White House on Monday. Among those making the trip will be French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni along with the leaders of Finland and Sweden. The European leaders were also meeting with Zelenskiy on Sunday as part of the Coalition of the Willing. The show of support comes after Trump said Ukraine should make a deal to end the war with Russia because "Russia is a very big power, and they're not". After the Alaskan meeting, Trump told Zelenskiy the Russian president had offered to freeze most front lines if Kyiv ceded all of Donetsk, the industrial region that is one of Moscow's main targets, a source familiar with the matter said. Zelenskiy rejected the demand, the source said. Russia already controls a fifth of Ukraine, including about three-quarters of Donetsk province, which it first entered in 2014. Trump also said he agreed with Putin that a peace deal should be sought without the prior ceasefire that Ukraine and its European allies had demanded. That was a change from his position before the summit, when he said would not be happy unless a ceasefire was agreed on. "It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up," Trump posted on Truth Social. Zelenskiy said Russia's unwillingness to pause the fighting would complicate efforts to forge a lasting peace. "We see that Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing," he said on social media. "This complicates the situation. "If they lack the will to carry out a simple order to stop the strikes, it may take a lot of effort to get Russia to have the will to implement far greater - peaceful coexistence with its neighbours for decades. "But together we are working for peace and security. Stopping the killing is a key element of stopping the war." Nevertheless, Zelenskiy said he would meet Trump on Monday. That will evoke memories of a meeting in the White House Oval Office in February, where Trump and Vice President JD Vance gave Zelenskiy a brutal public dressing-down. Trump said a three-way meeting with Putin and Zelenskiy could follow. Kyiv's European allies welcomed Trump's efforts but vowed to back Ukraine and tighten sanctions on Russia. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has been gradually advancing for months. The war - the deadliest in Europe for 80 years - has killed or wounded well over a million people from both sides, including thousands of mostly Ukrainian civilians, according to analysts. At the Alaskan meeting, Putin signalled no movement in Russia's long-held demands, which also include a veto on Kyiv's desired membership in the NATO alliance. In a TV interview Trump signalled that he and Putin had discussed land transfers and security guarantees for Ukraine, and had "largely agreed". "I think we're pretty close to a deal," he said, adding: "Ukraine has to agree to it. Maybe they'll say 'no'." Asked what he would advise Zelenskiy to do, Trump said: "Gotta make a deal." "Look, Russia is a very big power, and they're not," he added. Zelenskiy has consistently said he cannot concede territory without changes to Ukraine's constitution, and Kyiv sees Donetsk's "fortress cities" such as Sloviansk and Kramatorsk as a bulwark against further Russian advances. Zelenskiy has also insisted on security guarantees, to deter Russia from invading again. For Putin, just sitting down with Trump represented a victory. He had been ostracised by Western leaders since the start of the war, and just a week earlier had faced a threat of new sanctions from Trump. Trump spoke to European leaders after returning to Washington. Several stressed the need to keep pressure on Russia. European leaders will join with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at a key meeting with President Donald Trump after the US president's summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed she will travel to Washington with other European leaders for the gathering at the White House on Monday. Among those making the trip will be French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni along with the leaders of Finland and Sweden. The European leaders were also meeting with Zelenskiy on Sunday as part of the Coalition of the Willing. The show of support comes after Trump said Ukraine should make a deal to end the war with Russia because "Russia is a very big power, and they're not". After the Alaskan meeting, Trump told Zelenskiy the Russian president had offered to freeze most front lines if Kyiv ceded all of Donetsk, the industrial region that is one of Moscow's main targets, a source familiar with the matter said. Zelenskiy rejected the demand, the source said. Russia already controls a fifth of Ukraine, including about three-quarters of Donetsk province, which it first entered in 2014. Trump also said he agreed with Putin that a peace deal should be sought without the prior ceasefire that Ukraine and its European allies had demanded. That was a change from his position before the summit, when he said would not be happy unless a ceasefire was agreed on. "It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up," Trump posted on Truth Social. Zelenskiy said Russia's unwillingness to pause the fighting would complicate efforts to forge a lasting peace. "We see that Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing," he said on social media. "This complicates the situation. "If they lack the will to carry out a simple order to stop the strikes, it may take a lot of effort to get Russia to have the will to implement far greater - peaceful coexistence with its neighbours for decades. "But together we are working for peace and security. Stopping the killing is a key element of stopping the war." Nevertheless, Zelenskiy said he would meet Trump on Monday. That will evoke memories of a meeting in the White House Oval Office in February, where Trump and Vice President JD Vance gave Zelenskiy a brutal public dressing-down. Trump said a three-way meeting with Putin and Zelenskiy could follow. Kyiv's European allies welcomed Trump's efforts but vowed to back Ukraine and tighten sanctions on Russia. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has been gradually advancing for months. The war - the deadliest in Europe for 80 years - has killed or wounded well over a million people from both sides, including thousands of mostly Ukrainian civilians, according to analysts. At the Alaskan meeting, Putin signalled no movement in Russia's long-held demands, which also include a veto on Kyiv's desired membership in the NATO alliance. In a TV interview Trump signalled that he and Putin had discussed land transfers and security guarantees for Ukraine, and had "largely agreed". "I think we're pretty close to a deal," he said, adding: "Ukraine has to agree to it. Maybe they'll say 'no'." Asked what he would advise Zelenskiy to do, Trump said: "Gotta make a deal." "Look, Russia is a very big power, and they're not," he added. Zelenskiy has consistently said he cannot concede territory without changes to Ukraine's constitution, and Kyiv sees Donetsk's "fortress cities" such as Sloviansk and Kramatorsk as a bulwark against further Russian advances. Zelenskiy has also insisted on security guarantees, to deter Russia from invading again. For Putin, just sitting down with Trump represented a victory. He had been ostracised by Western leaders since the start of the war, and just a week earlier had faced a threat of new sanctions from Trump. Trump spoke to European leaders after returning to Washington. Several stressed the need to keep pressure on Russia.
Sydney Morning Herald
11 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Zelensky says Russian ceasefire refusal ‘complicates' peace efforts
Zelensky spoke with Trump for 90 minutes on Sunday AEST to discuss Russian demands and prepare for new talks while issuing a list of principles for negotiation. 'Killings must stop as soon as possible, the fire must cease both on the battlefield and in the sky, as well as against our port infrastructure,' he said on social media. 'All Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians must be released, and the children abducted by Russia must be returned. 'Thousands of our people remain in captivity – they all must be brought home. Pressure on Russia must be maintained while the aggression and occupation continue.' Loading In a new development that he did not signal in Alaska, Trump spoke to Zelensky about a three-way meeting between the United States, Russia and Ukraine. However, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said there had been no discussion of a three-way summit during the Alaska meeting, according to Russian state media. In a related move, Trump's wife, Melania, wrote a letter to Putin about the plight of children in Ukraine and Russia. White House officials told Reuters of the letter but did not reveal the contents; it was handed to the Russian leader in Anchorage, although the US first lady was not at the summit. 'Sanctions are effective' Trump hailed the meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, as a 'great and successful day' and sought to play down concerns that he did not emerge with a ceasefire agreement. 'It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up,' he said on social media. A crucial concern in Europe, however, is that the US is not applying sufficient pressure on Putin – for instance, through economic sanctions – while the Russian leader benefits from generous treatment and talks with the American president. Describing sanctions as 'an effective tool', Zelensky said security must be 'guaranteed reliably and in the long term, with the involvement of both Europe and the US'. European leaders welcomed Trump's efforts but stepped up calls for details on security guarantees – a problematic issue given arguments about whether countries would police a ceasefire by putting 'boots on the ground' in Ukraine. 'We are clear that Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity,' said a statement from the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Finland, as well as the European Union. 'No limitations should be placed on Ukraine's armed forces or on its co-operation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine's pathway to [the] EU and NATO.' Those principles appear certain to be dismissed by Russia, given that Putin strongly opposes any enlargement of NATO near Russian borders. The European leaders have previously said a 'Coalition of the Willing' is ready to play an active role; however, they have yet to set out exactly how that would help maintain a ceasefire or long-term peace deal, although the UK has said it would send peacekeeping troops. Starmer, who convened a meeting of the coalition last Wednesday, emphasised the stated willingness of the US to provide 'robust security guarantees' alongside European nations. 'This is important progress and will be crucial in deterring Putin from coming back for more,' he said. 'In the meantime, until he stops his barbaric assault, we will keep tightening the screws on his war machine with even more sanctions.' 'Our unwavering support for Ukraine will continue as long as it takes.' 'Putin won time' Meanwhile, Ukrainian politicians mocked Trump for treating Putin with high honour in Alaska when the Russian leader is considered a war criminal by 120 countries. Loading 'When you repeatedly warn dictators of sanctions but never follow through, they just end up finding it amusing,' wrote Kira Rudik, a member of the Ukrainian parliament and leader of the Golos political party, on social media. 'Putin won time, President Trump got to shake [a] dictator's hand, Ukraine got nothing.' Anger focused on the images of American soldiers kneeling at the Russian leader's aircraft to roll out a red carpet for his meeting with Trump. 'This image of American soldiers kneeling in front of a Russian plane to lay a red carpet for a war criminal should shake Europe awake,' wrote Olena Tregub, the head of a Ukrainian anti-corruption group linked to Transparency International. Russia resumed its barrage of Ukraine on Saturday, launching 85 attack drones and a ballistic missile, Ukraine's Air Force said. Frontline territories in the Sumy, Donetsk, Chernihiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions had been targeted in the overnight strikes, the air force said on the Telegram messaging app. It said its air defence units had destroyed 61 of the drones. The Ukrainian Armed Forces said in its daily morning report that 139 clashes had also taken place on the front line over the previous day. Russia said it had also come under attack, with its defence ministry saying it had shot down 53 Ukrainian drones overnight.
