Trump briefed Zelenskyy, European leaders on Putin talks: EU
Trump spoke for more than an hour with Zelensky, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, the spokesperson said.
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Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Trump says Zelenskyy can end war with Russia ‘almost immediately' or ‘continue to fight'
US President Donald Trump on Sunday urged Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy to come to a negotiated settlement in the three-and-a-half-year-old conflict with Russia. 'President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,' Trump said on his Truth Social platform. 'No getting back Obama given NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!'
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
European, NATO leaders to join Ukraine's Zelensky for meeting with Trump
KYIV, Ukraine: European and NATO leaders announced Sunday they will join President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington to present a united front in talks with President Donald Trump on ending Russia's war in Ukraine and firming up US security guarantees now on the negotiating table. Leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Finland are rallying around the Ukrainian president after his exclusion from Trump's summit on Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Their pledge to be at Zelensky's side at the White House on Monday is an apparent effort to ensure the meeting goes better than the last one in February, when Trump berated Zelensky in a heated Oval Office encounter. 'The Europeans are very afraid of the Oval Office scene being repeated and so they want to support Mr. Zelensky to the hilt,' said retired French Gen. Dominique Trinquand, a former head of France's military mission at the United Nations. 'It's a power struggle and a position of strength that might work with Trump,' he said. Putin agreed at his summit in Alaska with Trump that the US and its European allies could offer Ukraine a security guarantee resembling NATO's collective defense mandate as part of an eventual deal to end the 3 1/2-year war, special US envoy Steve Witkoff said in an interview Sunday on CNN's 'State of the Union.' It 'was the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that,' said Witkoff, who called it 'game-changing.' Later, French President Emmanuel Macron said the European delegation will ask Trump to back plans they drafted to beef-up Ukraine's armed forces — already Europe's largest outside of Russia — with more training and equipment to secure any peace. 'We need a credible format for the Ukrainian army, that's the first point, and say — we Europeans and Americans — how we'll train them, equip them, and finance this effort in the long-term,' the French leader said. The European-drafted plans also envision an allied force in Ukraine away from the front lines to reassure Kyiv that peace will hold and to dissuade another Russian invasion, Macron said. He spoke after a nearly two-hour video call Sunday with nations in Europe and further afield — including Canada, Australia and Japan — that are involved in the so-called 'coalition of the willing.' The 'several thousand men on the ground in Ukraine in the zone of peace' would signal that 'our fates are linked,' Macron said. 'This is what we must discuss with the Americans: Who is ready to do what?' Macron said. 'Otherwise, I think the Ukrainians simply cannot accept commitments that are theoretical.' European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said earlier at a news conference in Brussels with Zelensky that 'we welcome President Trump's willingness to contribute to Article 5-like security guarantees for Ukraine. And the 'coalition of the willing' — including the European Union — is ready to do its share.' Macron said the substance of security guarantees will be more important than whether they are given an Article 5-type label. 'A theoretical article isn't enough, the question is one of substance,' he said. 'We must start out by saying that the first of the security guarantees for Ukraine is a strong Ukrainian army.' Along with Von der Leyen and Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and Finnish President Alexander Stubb also said they'll will take part in Monday's talks, as will secretary-general of the NATO military alliance, Mark Rutte. The European leaders' support could help ease concerns in Kyiv and in other European capitals that Ukraine risks being railroaded into a peace deal. Neil Melvin, director of international security at the London-based Royal United Services Institute, said European leaders are trying to 'shape this fast-evolving agenda.' After the Alaska summit, the idea of a ceasefire appears all-but-abandoned, with the narrative shifting toward Putin's agenda of ensuring Ukraine does not join NATO or even the EU. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on NBC's 'Meet the Press' on Sunday that a possible ceasefire is 'not off the table' but that the best way to end the war would be through a 'full peace deal.' Putin has implied that he sees Europe as a hindrance to negotiations. He has also resisted meeting Zelensky in person, saying that such a meeting can only take place once the groundwork for a peace deal has been laid. Speaking to the press after his meeting with Trump, the Russian leader raised the idea that Kyiv and other European capitals could 'create obstacles' to derail potential progress with 'behind-the-scenes intrigue.' For now, Zelensky offers the Europeans the 'only way' to get into the discussions about the future of Ukraine and European security, says RUSI's Melvin. However, the sheer number of European leaders potentially in attendance means the group will have to be 'mindful' not to give 'contradictory' messages, Melvin said. 'The risk is they look heavy-handed and are ganging up on Trump,' he added. 'Trump won't want to be put in a corner.' Although details remain hazy on what Article 5-like security guarantees from the US and Europe would entail for Ukraine, it could mirror NATO membership terms, in which an attack on one member of the alliance is seen as an attack on all. Zelensky continues to stress the importance of both US and European involvement in any negotiations. 'A security guarantee is a strong army. Only Ukraine can provide that. Only Europe can finance this army, and weapons for this army can be provided by our domestic production and European production. But there are certain things that are in short supply and are only available in the United States,' he said at the press conference Sunday alongside Von der Leyen. Zelensky also pushed back against Trump's assertion — which aligned with Putin's preference — that the two sides should negotiate a complete end to the war, rather than first securing a ceasefire. Zelensky said a ceasefire would provide breathing room to review Putin's demands. 'It's impossible to do this under the pressure of weapons,' he said. 'Putin does not want to stop the killing, but he must do it.'
Al Arabiya
6 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Exclusive Aoun tells Iran: No interference in our affairs, Hezbollah arms a Lebanese decision
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has told Al Arabiya in an interview that Beirut's message is clear: Iran should not interfere in Lebanon's internal affairs. Aoun said that he conveyed this directly to Iran's National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani, who visited Beirut last week. He said Lebanon's relationship with Iran 'is based on respect,' adding: 'Iran is a friendly state, but on the basis of preserving our sovereignty … our message is clear: Iran will not interfere in our affairs.' The president also stressed that the question of Hezbollah's weapons 'is a Lebanese decision and does not concern Iran.' Aoun said the US proposal delivered by envoy Tom Barrack included 'Israeli withdrawal and the revival of Lebanon's economy.' He explained that Lebanon had two choices: either accept the American paper or face isolation. 'But we did not receive any threats to implement the proposal's terms,' he added. 'We are waiting for Washington to secure Israel's approval of Tom Barrack's plan.' On his relationship with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Aoun described it as 'more than excellent' and said he was open 'to discussing any issue, but only under the authority of the state.' He stressed that his top priority was 'ensuring the country's security and stability.' He continued: 'We are trying to spare Lebanon any internal or external conflicts, because they have exhausted us.' He also emphasized that 'the Shia community is an essential and influential component of our country. There is no threat to any sect, and I stand by my words.' Aoun welcomed 'anyone who wants to help Lebanon without interfering in our affairs.' He thanked Saudi Arabia for its support, noting that Riyadh played a role in ending Lebanon's presidential vacuum. He also stressed Lebanon's commitment to improving relations with Syria and demarcating the border 'under Saudi sponsorship.' 'We will not compromise on our relationship with Saudi Arabia,' Aoun said, adding that it dates back to the era of the Kingdom's founding king. On the economy, Aoun said: 'Our country is on the path to economic prosperity through the reforms we are implementing.' He emphasized that no one is above accountability, noting that the judiciary is working seriously to fight corruption. On the Palestinian file, Aoun said Lebanon 'has not opened the door to any direct dialogue with Israel' and reaffirmed Lebanon's firm rejection of resettling Palestinians. Regarding weapons in Palestinian refugee camps, he said: 'The decision to disarm the camps was taken by the Palestinian Authority itself, but the Iran-Israel conflict and Palestinian considerations have delayed implementation.' Lebanon's political circles are awaiting the arrival of US envoy Tom Barrack and Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus, who are expected in Beirut with new ideas on a plan to place all weapons under state control. The visit comes amid rising tensions following a speech by Hezbollah's leader, Naim Qassem, which sparked strong reactions and complicated the political scene. Qassem accused the government on Friday of 'handing Lebanon over to Israel' with its decision to strip Hezbollah of its weapons, warning this could lead to 'civil war.' Prime Minister Nawaf Salam denounced the remarks, rejecting what he described as a 'veiled threat.' Lebanese authorities have recently taken a firmer stance against Hezbollah and Tehran. Both President Aoun and Prime Minister Salam told Larijani last week that they reject 'any interference' in Lebanon's internal affairs, following Iran's criticism of the disarmament decision. For the first time in the history of Lebanon-Iran relations, senior Lebanese officials have spoken this bluntly and openly to an Iranian envoy. Iran remains Hezbollah's chief backer, providing money and weapons for decades. The government's move – described by Hezbollah's opponents as 'historic' – was framed as part of implementing the US-brokered ceasefire agreement that ended the Hezbollah-Israel war on November 27. The decision stipulates that only Lebanon's official security and military institutions may carry weapons.
