Zelensky hails ‘best’ meeting with Trump
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has hailed Monday’s negotiations with US President Donald Trump as the best meeting the two have had.
Zelensky met with Trump at the White House, alongside several leaders from Western Europe. The summit came three days after the US president held his first face-to-face meeting since 2019 with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
Although no breakthroughs were announced, the parties described the discussions as a positive step toward achieving peace between Ukraine and Russia.
“I would like to thank President Trump for this meeting. It was the best meeting we have had, which is very important,” Zelensky told reporters outside the White House.
Zelensky said he had briefed US officials on the battlefield situation, outlining “who really controls each area.”
“Our main goal is a strong, lasting peace for Ukraine and Europe,” he added. Zelensky confirmed that he is ready for a potential meeting with Putin.
Hours earlier, Trump spoke by phone with the Russian president and said he would work to arrange a Putin-Zelensky meeting, followed by a trilateral summit.
Putin has previously said he is ready to meet the Ukrainian leader once the peace terms are prepared for signing.
Russia has maintained that it favors a lasting peace rather than a temporary ceasefire and has stressed that Ukraine must renounce its claim to newly acquired Russian territories, as well as abandon its plans to join NATO.
Zelensky confirmed that potential land swaps were discussed during negotiations in Washington but reiterated that Kiev would not willingly cede any territory or recognize Russia’s new borders.
