“Stop shooting.” Trump's message after the meeting with Zelenskiy: “Borders should stop where they are”
President Donald Trump said after meeting with Volodymyr Zeleneski that the United States would prefer the war to end and that the solution is not to send missiles, but to resume peace talks. “Thousands die every week – that's it, go home to your families in peace”said the American leader.
Trump and Zelenski, at the White House PHOTO: Profimedia
“The meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was very interesting and cordial, but I told him, as I also strongly advised President Putin, that it is time to stop the killings and make a deal! Enough blood has been spilled, borders have been defined by war and force. They must stop where they are. Let them both claim victory, let history decide! No more shooting, no more with the deaths, no more huge and unjustified expenses. Thousands die every week – that's it, go home to your families in peace!”, wrote Donald Trump on his platform, Truth Social, shortly after the meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump balked at Ukraine's request for long-range Tomahawk missiles, saying “we'd rather not need Tomahawk missiles” and that they would like Ukraine and Russia “to resume peace negotiations” iinstead of speeding up arms deliveries, according to the New York Times.
The discussion between the two leaders lasted over two hours in Washington. According to sources close to the US administration, Zelenskiy tried to convince Trump that additional arms deliveries are the only way to force Russia to negotiate seriously, the nytimes writes.
Instead, the US president insisted on “a quick and peaceful solution”, promising to use his influence to secure a truce.
Trump confirmed that he plans to meet in the coming weeks with Vladimir Putin in Budapest, stating that he may have “a double date” – separately with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders.
“These two leaders don't like each other and we want to make things comfortable for everyone”Trump said, adding that “peace is only possible if both sides stop now” Trump said.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin warned Washington that the introduction of new US weapons into Ukraine would represent “a serious escalation” of the conflict.
