Trump Calls Putin After White House Meeting With Zelenskyy and European Leaders, Pitches Direct Peace Talks
“Everyone is very happy about the possibility of peace for Russia/Ukraine.” — President Donald Trump
Trump Steps Into Center Stage of War Diplomacy
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday said he called Russian President Vladimir Putin from the Oval Office after hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and top European leaders at the White House, announcing plans for a direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, followed by a trilateral session that would include himself. Trump revealed the 40-minute phone call with Putin on his Truth Social platform after hours of meetings aimed at jump-starting negotiations to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, now grinding through its fourth year. The announcement is the latest sign Trump is positioning himself as the central broker in the conflict, even as his own messaging has often contradicted his administration’s officials.
A Week of Rapid-Fire Diplomacy
Just three days before Monday’s White House summit, Trump flew to Alaska for a private, three-hour meeting with Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The optics of Trump walking the red carpet beside Putin underscored the urgency he has attached to peace efforts. At the White House, Trump welcomed Zelenskyy with a warm handshake and praised his formal attire, a departure from Zelenskyy’s signature wartime fatigues. Their private conversation, Zelenskyy later said, was “maybe the best one.” The two then joined European leaders including France’s Emmanuel Macron, the U.K.’s Keir Starmer, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for broader talks. Trump told reporters, “We will come to a resolution today I think on almost everything, including probably the security.”
Land, Security, and Sticking Points
Despite the upbeat tone, the same obstacles remain. Putin continues to demand recognition of Russian control over roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory seized since 2014 and expanded in 2022. Zelenskyy insists Ukraine’s constitution forbids surrendering land and has doubled down on that stance, declaring, “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier.” Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine’s goal is securing “ironclad” treaty-level security guarantees, modeled on NATO’s Article 5, to prevent future Russian aggression. European leaders largely back the idea, though how such commitments would be structured and whether they would pass the U.S. Senate remains unclear.
Trump’s Mixed Messaging
While Trump has publicly pressed for peace, his statements have fluctuated between diplomacy and demands on Ukraine. Over the weekend, he reposted a Truth Social message arguing Ukraine must give up land to Russia to avoid losing even more. He also wrote that Zelenskyy could end the war “almost immediately” by conceding Crimea and NATO membership ambitions. That stance appeared to undercut Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that no one was pushing Ukraine to surrender territory. The contradictions highlight the political tightrope Trump is walking: projecting himself as a peacemaker while navigating pressure from European allies, the U.S. Congress, and his own political base.
What Comes Next
Trump has not ruled out deploying U.S. forces to help secure a peace deal, a surprising pivot from his long-stated “America First” stance against foreign entanglements. “We’re going to work with Ukraine, we’re going to work with everybody, and we’re going to make sure that if there is peace, the peace is going to stay long-term,” he said. For now, the possibility of a Putin–Zelenskyy direct meeting marks the most concrete step forward in months. Whether it results in real concessions or collapses under the same stalemate that has defined the war remains to be seen.
Sources
- Associated Press – Trump says he is setting up direct meeting for Zelenskyy and Putin
- Politico – Inside Trump world’s reaction to the Zelenskyy reset
- The Guardian – Trump’s White House meetings with Zelenskyy and European leaders
- The Guardian – Trump’s White House meetings with Zelenskyy and European leaders
