Zelenskyy of Ukraine set for Monday talks with Trump following US-Russia summit without peace deal
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Saturday that he intends to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington next week. This comes following a summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which ended without reaching a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy described a “lengthy and meaningful” phone conversation with Trump on Saturday, after Trump returned from his meeting with Putin in Alaska. Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the invitation to meet in Washington on Monday, adding that their discussions would focus on how to bring an end to the ongoing violence and war.
Trump hosted Putin on Friday during the Russian leader’s first visit to the United States in ten years. However, little specific information emerged from their discussion, leaving uncertainty about any agreed next steps.
“Encouraging” signals from the U.S. on security assurances
Zelenskyy emphasized the necessity of Europe being part of the process — a role European leaders and he himself did not have during the Friday summit.
“It’s crucial for European countries to be involved in every phase to ensure strong and dependable security guarantees alongside the United States,” he said. “We also noted encouraging indications from the American side about their willingness to support Ukraine’s security commitments.”
Though he didn’t provide further details, Zelenskyy had earlier explained that some European nations paused a proposal to station foreign troops in Ukraine due to the absence of clear American support.
Zelenskyy said his conversation with Trump included a private one-on-one discussion followed by a broader call with several European leaders. Altogether, these talks spanned more than ninety minutes.
“Nothing is final until an agreement is made”
Trump, speaking in Alaska, remarked that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal,” following Putin’s statement that the two had reached a basic “understanding” on Ukraine. Putin had also urged Europeans not to undermine any emerging progress.
Before flying home, Trump told Fox News Channel that the responsibility now may lie with Zelenskyy “to move things forward,” though he acknowledged that European partners would also play a role.
Trump did not address the media on his return flight. Upon arrival in Washington, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump had been speaking with NATO allies after his long phone discussion with Zelenskyy.
Trump then exited Air Force One without making public comments, and did not respond to shouted questions as he entered his motorcade.
European Commission spokesperson Arianna Podesta confirmed that Trump had spoken with Zelenskyy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Polish President Karol Nawrocki, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. No further details were disclosed.
Prospect of a three-way meeting
Zelenskyy voiced approval for Trump’s suggestion of a potential trilateral meeting involving the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine. He noted, “Critical matters can be addressed at the leadership level, and a three-party format could be appropriate for this.”
However, Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy aide, stated on Russian state television that no such three-way meeting had been proposed in U.S.-Russia discussions. “The topic hasn’t come up yet,” he said, according to state news agency RIA Novosti.
Russian commentary on the summit was generally optimistic, with some outlets describing it as a symbolic move away from Putin’s diplomatic isolation in the West.
Dmitry Medvedev, former President of Russia and deputy head of its Security Council, praised the summit in Alaska as a step toward renewing dialogue with Washington, noting the discussions were “calm, without threats or ultimatums.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine reported continued Russian military activity overnight. The country’s Air Force said that one ballistic missile and 85 Shahed drones had been launched, of which 61 were intercepted. Attacks targeted regions including Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Chernihiv.
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Reporting by Morton from London. Geir Moulson in Berlin also contributed.