President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine was invited to the White House by US President Donald Trump on Monday, indicating hope for a possible peace agreement with Russia.
After months of tense relations with Kyiv, the meeting occurred after Trump’s recent summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
A three-way meeting between Putin and Zelensky was suggested by Trump, who also stated that there was a “good chance” of ending the war.
As he sat in the Oval with Zelensky, Trump stated, “I think if everything works out well today we’ll have a trilat, and I think there will be a reasonable chance of ending the war when we do that.”
Trump promised that the US would continue to be “involved” in Ukraine’s future security even as he urged Ukraine to give up its NATO aspirations and concede Russia’s control over Crimea.
Zelensky commended Trump’s efforts and called for “reliable and lasting peace,” joined by European leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, NATO, and the EU.
Though there are still worries that Trump is shifting toward Moscow’s stance, the discussions were characterized as “very serious.”
The friendly tone of the meeting was in contrast to a heated exchange in February, during which Trump even praised Zelensky’s signature military uniform.
However, the risks were highlighted by airstrikes in Ukraine, where Russian operations overnight killed at least seven people.
