Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski had a meeting with the US President Donald Trump on Wednesday on the NATO summit in The Hague. The meeting lasted about 50 minutes, reported the Ukrainian position.
Volodimir Zelenski arrives at NATO PHOTO EPA-EFE summit
In an X post, Zelenski described the conversation as “long and substantial.”
“I approached all the really important problems,” he wrote. “We discussed how to get a real armistice and a real peace. We talked about how to protect our people. We appreciate the attention and the willingness to contribute to bringing peace closer.”
No other details were announced.
A source of the Ukrainian presidency told AFP that Zelenski is “satisfied” by the ones discussed.
Asked about Dan Caine's comments, the chief of the Staff Interarme, according to which Putin, the President of Russia, could have wider territorial ambitions beyond Ukraine, Trump admits that it is “possible” for things.
“I know one thing: he would like to end, he would like to get out of this situation. It's a big mess for him,” he added.
Trump will discuss Putin to “end” the Ukraine war
“I wanted to know how to take it”, and the meeting was “very pleasant”, even though they had “a few difficult times” in the past, he said about the call with Zeenski,
“I think he would love to see an end. I want.”
“I think it is an excellent time to conclude,” he said, adding that the main conclusion he drew from the discussion with his counterpart is that he wants peace.
To this end, Trump says he will discuss Putin again.
“I will talk to Vladimir Putin to see if we can put an end to this situation.”
The two leaders were to discuss the purchase by Ukraine of a new pack of weapons, including air defense systems, as well as additional sanctions against Russia and an international ceiling for Russian oil.
Speaking at an earlier information session during the day, Trump was asked what he would talk about during the meeting with Zelenski.
“Obviously we will discuss his difficulties, he has a little difficulty,” the US president replied without detailing what he refers to.
Trump says that his initial promise to end the Russian invasion in Ukraine was “sarcastic” and acknowledges that “it is more difficult than people would imagine.”
“Look, Vladimir Putin really has to put an end to the war.”
Donald Trump also had a dialogue with a Ukrainian reporter established in Warsaw, who told her that her husband is active in the Ukrainian army.
In response, Trump promises that the US will check if they can make Ukraine's disposal more “patriot”, stressing that “they are very effective, 100% effective.”
Assuming increased responsibility by Europe will help in the case of potential future disasters
“Europe, which assumes greater responsibility for its security, will help prevent future disasters, such as the horrible situation with Russia and Ukraine, and we hope that we will solve this problem. It is vital that this additional money will be spent on a very serious bureaucracy related to military equipment and, hopefully, the equipment will be made in America.”
The NATO summit takes place at a time when US support for Kiev is decreasing and just a week after Russian President Vladimir Putin said that “all Ukraine is ours.”
Upon arrival in The Hague, Andrii Iermak, the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Bureau, said on June 24 that he had “substance” discussions with US Secretary Marco Rubio to prepare the Zelenski-Trump, including its structure and key subjects.
Zelenski is also going to meet during the Summit with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
In a recent interview with Sky News, Zelenski expressed his uncertainty about Trump's ties with Putin, but said that Trump is aware that Ukraine is a US ally and that “the true existential enemy of America is Russia.”
