During the meeting, Merz noted the need to discuss the situation in Ukraine, adding that the country must “preserve its territorial integrity and security.”
Trump said Ukraine remains a “very high priority” for the United States, although he admitted he expected “it to be easier than it is.”
The head of the White House also noted that there is “enormous hatred” between the illegitimate Russian President Vladimir Putin and the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky.
“I have seen a lot of hatred in my life, but this is at the highest level,” the president added.
Trump emphasized the importance of negotiations between the parties, emphasizing that they must learn to “agree and talk to each other.”
“I would really like the war to end. This is the worst thing that has happened since World War II,” Trump said.
Video: The White House / YouTube
Context
Since 2025, the United States has been negotiating with the aggressor country of the Russian Federation and Ukraine to end the Russian-Ukrainian war, in particular, the administration of US President Donald Trump presented a draft “peace plan.” The first round of negotiations between the delegations of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the United States in Abu Dhabi took place on January 23 and 24. The next round is on February 4th and 5th.
On February 17-18, delegations from the United States, Ukraine and Russia held talks in Geneva, which focused on “practical issues and the mechanics of possible solutions.”
On February 25, Zelensky said that the next full meeting of the negotiating teams in a trilateral format is scheduled for early March.
On February 28, Bloomberg wrote that Russia could stop “peace negotiations” if Ukraine does not agree to cede part of the unoccupied territory of the Donetsk region.
On March 3, Zelensky said that he agreed to the US proposal to freeze the front line to stop hostilities, but Russia insists on the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbass. According to him, the exchange of territories does not meet the interests of Ukraine, and American security guarantees are possible only within the framework of an agreement with Russia.
