Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed readiness to participate in a three-way summit with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.
During urgent discussions at the White House, Zelensky endorsed Trump’s proposal for a trilateral meeting after the US president suggested bringing all three leaders together. “We are ready for trilateral,” Zelensky reportedly told Trump, marking a significant diplomatic opening.
The White House meeting represented a notably warmer exchange than the leaders’ previous encounter in February. Trump welcomed European heads of state from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, and representatives from the EU and NATO, who had gathered to demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters, Trump emphasised his commitment to lasting peace. “We’re going to work with Ukraine. We’re going to work with everybody, and we’re going to make sure that if there’s peace, the peace is going to stay long term,” he said. “We’re not talking about a two-year peace… We’re going to work with Russia. We’re going to work with Ukraine.”
However, Moscow immediately pushed back against key elements of any potential agreement. Russian officials released a statement opposing “any scenarios” involving NATO troops in Ukraine, challenging expectations that Putin might accept Western security guarantees for Kyiv.
When questioned about security arrangements, Trump indicated that Europe would serve as Ukraine’s “first line of defence” while receiving US backing. He also suggested that NATO membership for Ukraine remained unlikely, stating: “We will give them very good protection, very good security.”
European leaders signaled their priorities for any peace negotiations. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized the necessity of including a ceasefire in trilateral discussions, while French President Emmanuel Macron proposed expanding the format to include European representation, citing “the importance to the security of the Continent.”
Prior to the meetings, Zelensky took to social media to express his hopes for peace: “We must stop the killings, and I thank our partners who are working toward this and ultimately toward a reliable and dignified peace… Ukraine is ready for a real truce and for establishing a new security architecture.”
Trump told European leaders he wants to arrange the trilateral summit by next Friday, indicating the urgency he places on moving forward with diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
