An important European leader reveals what Trump told them “very clear”, in private, about the Ukrainian territories occupied by the Russians

US President Donald Trump told European leaders at the online meeting on Wednesday, August 13, that the territorial issues related to Ukraine cannot and will not be negotiated by anyone else but Ukrainian leader Volodimir Zelenski, the French president Emmanuel Macron announced, according to CNN and CNN.

In the statements made to journalists after the virtual meeting with Trump, Macron said that “more messages were found.”

The first message is that Trump was “very clear” about the fact that Washington wants to obtain an armistice during the future American leader with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, who will take place in Alaska on Friday.

“It is very important that during this meeting in America a armistice will be obtained and we support this initiative, along with a new exchange of prisoners and the release of children (Ukrainians),” said Macron.

The second element – which was “expressed very clearly” by Trump – was “that the territorial issue regarding Ukraine can and will not be negotiated by anyone else but the Ukrainian president”, continued the leader from the Élysée Palace.

What Macron said:

• “President Trump was very clear that the United States wants to get an armistice at this Alaska meeting.
• The second point on which things were very clear, as President Trump said, is that the territories belonging to Ukraine cannot be negotiated (without the participation of Ukraine) and will be negotiated only by the Ukrainian president.
• Currently there is no serious territorial exchanges on the table
• He (Trump, no) will also fight to ensure a future meeting, a trilateral meeting … I think this is a very important point … and we hope that this (Trilateral Trump-Zenski-Putin meeting will be held in Europe, in a neutral country, acceptable for all parties.“

The comments of the French president came after Trump indicated last week that a fire termination agreement could include “a certain exchange of territories”, an idea rejected by both Russia and Ukraine.

According to US officials, Putin offered the cessation of the Ukraine war in exchange for significant territorial concessions from Kiev, including the entire eastern province of Donbas (Luhansk and Donetsk regions).

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski has repeatedly promised, including Tuesday, that he would not give up Russia the province of Donbas, saying that this would open Putin the path to “start a third war” in Ukraine.

Keir Starmer speaks of “a real chance of ceasing fire” thanks to Trump

British prime minister Keir Starmer mentioned a real chance to reach a cease in Ukraine thanks to Donald Trump on Wednesday, in the context of Friday between US president and Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, at the American base in Anchorage (Alaska), APP and AGERPRES have previously reported.

“In the three years and a few months that this conflict has lasted, I have never been close to a real solution to reach a cessation of fire. And now we have this chance due to the work submitted by the US President,” said Prime Minister Starmer with Kiev's supporters.

“It is a crucial moment and we must combine an active diplomacy with military support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia (…) especially on the economy, with broader sanctions and measures, if necessary,” added the head of the British Government.

“You can already observe the effect of this type of measure, and the United Kingdom prepares its next power package” if necessary, he added.

The prime minister of the United Kingdom addressed through the video conference to members of the “Voluntary Country Coalition” after discussing with the main European leaders, the EU, NATO and US President Donald Trump.

This coalition has developed military plans “which can be implemented if we manage to obtain this cessation of fire” in order to guarantee compliance with such an agreement, Keir Starmer recalled.

“International borders cannot and should not be changed by force,” the Labor leader insisted.

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski asked for the imposition of sanctions to Russia if Moscow refuses to act for an “immediate” cease.

The Russian forces on Tuesday achieved the highest advance within 24 hours on the Ukrainian territory of the last year, according to the analysis carried out by AFP based on the data provided by the American Institute for War Study (ISW).

Trump wants a three meeting with Putin and Zelenski, “almost immediately” after meeting Putin

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he wants to organize a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the head of the Ukrainian state, Volodimir Zelenski, “almost immediately” after his meeting with the Russian president scheduled in Alaska on Friday.

“Some important things can be obtained in the first meeting-it will be a very important meeting-but it prepares the land for a second meeting,” the US president said in a discussion with the press, conditioning this second meeting for the good.

The US president is about to meet his Russian counterpart on Friday at the US military base in Anchorage (Alaska), to try to find a solution to the war that Moscow has been in Ukraine for over three years.

“We will quickly have a second meeting. I would like to do it almost immediately and we will quickly have a second meeting between President Putin, President Zelenski and me, if I want to be there,” said President Trump.

However, the US President said he could give up this meeting, and his organization will depend on how his discussion will take place on Friday with Vladimir Putin.

“If I feel that it is not appropriate to organize it because we have not obtained the answers we have to obtain, then there will be no second meeting,” said the US president.

At the same time, Donald Trump warned that Russia will face “very serious consequences” if he does not accept to put an end to the war, without going into details.

Asked by a journalist if he thinks he could convince Vladimir Putin not to target the civilian population in Ukraine, Donald Trump replied that he had this conversation several times with his Russian counterpart.

“And then I return home and see that a rocket hit an old man's home or rocket hit an apartment block, and people lie dead on the street. Then I think the answer is no,” he said.

Trump also mentioned a “very good call” earlier during Wednesday with European leaders, including Volodimir Zelenski, in which the Alaska meeting was addressed.

“I would give note 10” to this call, “very, very cordial,” he added, in a speech at the prestigious Cultural Center Kennedy Center in Washington.