Trump says he thinks Putin is critical about peace this time as Zelenskyy arrives for high-stakes summit
Zelenskyy has arrived. The 2 leaders shook arms and stopped for footage. Trump has taken just a few questions from reporters forward of their assembly.
Requested whether or not he thinks Putin is critical about peace this time, Trump mentioned:
I do, I do. I feel he’s, I feel they each are.
He added in response to a different query:
We’ve acquired to make a deal, acquired to get it achieved … I feel each presidents wish to make a deal.
He mentioned to Zelenskyy that he would transient him on the decision with Putin.
Key occasions
Recap: what’s within the newest draft of the peace proposal?
Right here’s a quick reminder of what’s in Zelenskyy’s 20-point peace proposal that he’s at the moment discussing with the Trump administration at Mar-a-Lago, which he reiterated at present was 90% full.
Zelenskyy needs Ukraine to obtain (Nato) article 5-style future safety ensures to discourage any future Russian aggression, and for Ukraine to keep its armed forces at their present degree of 800,000 troops. He additionally needs a exact date for Ukraine to imagine EU membership.
On the notably delicate and sophisticated challenge of territory, below the proposal preventing in Donetsk could be frozen on the present battle strains, with Ukrainian and Russian forces withdrawing to create a impartial demilitarised buffer zone overseen by worldwide forces.
The plan additionally requires $800bn in assist to rebuild Ukraine’s infrastructure and postwar financial system. Talks with the US on a free commerce settlement would even be ramped up.
Zelenskyy can be proposing that Ukraine splits management of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant with the US, with Ukraine holding half of the vitality and the US allocating the opposite half because it pleases.
It’s additionally price noting that the Ukrainian president has additionally burdened the significance of continued navy help to Ukraine and placing additional stress on Russia to ends its conflict.
In a quick put up on X a short time in the past, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk wished “good luck” to Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he started his high-stakes assembly at present with Donald Trump.
A reminder that Ukraine (and Europe’s) future safety in opposition to the Kremlin’s ambitions is among the many points at stake, and a name with European leaders will observe Trump and Zelenskyy’s summit.
Right here’s a snap from the Mar-a-Lago eating room the place Volodymyr Zelenskyy and members of his delegation are sat reverse Donald Trump and the US delegation, which incorporates secretary of state Marco Rubio, defence secretary Pete Hegseth, White Home chief of workers Susie Wiles, chairman of the joint chiefs Normal Dan Caine, Jared Kushner, peace envoy Steve Witkoff and deputy chief of workers Stephen Miller.
Journalists have been reportedly allowed into the room briefly earlier than abruptly being escorted out.
{Photograph}: Joe Raedle/Getty Photographs
We’ve extra on the call betwen Trump and Putin that passed off earlier, with the Russian president’s prime overseas coverage aide Yuri Ushakov informed a briefing that the decision was initiated by Trump and that it final greater than an hour.
Ushakov mentioned each leaders agreed {that a} momentary ceasefire proposed by the EU and Ukraine would as an alternative delay the battle.
He added that Kyiv should make “brave, accountable political resolution” relating to the Donbas area. “Given the state of affairs on the entrance strains, Kyiv must make that call immediately,” Ushakov mentioned.
Trump says he thinks peace talks are in last phases
Trump mentioned he believes they’re within the last phases of speaking and a “fast” finish to the conflict might be doable, including:
It’ll both finish or it’s going to go on for a very long time, and tens of millions of further persons are going to be lifeless. And no person needs that.
He mentioned to a different query:
I feel we will transfer very quickly.
Trump reiterated that they may also converse to European leaders after their assembly at present, and the 2 leaders then turned and walked inside Mar-a-Lago to start their talks.
Requested why he got here to Mar-a-Lago at present, Zelenskyy mentioned he hopes the talks will “convey peace as fast as doable”.
He mentioned that 90% of the 20-point peace plan has been achieved by the Ukrainian and US groups, and they are going to be discussing factors together with the difficulty of territory.
Trump dismissed a reporter’s query about safety ensures as “dumb”. He then added:
There might be a safety settlement. Will probably be a powerful settlement. The European nations are very a lot concerned in that.
He added that the European nations “have been actually nice” and “they’re all terrific individuals”.
Trump mentioned he has no deadline for securing a peace settlement to finish the conflict.
Trump says he’ll name Putin again after Zelenskyy assembly
Trump additionally mentioned he could be calling Putin again after the assembly “and we’ll proceed the negotiation”.
“We’re going to have an awesome assembly at present,” Trump mentioned.
‘I consider we’ve the makings of a deal,’ says Trump
Trump mentioned that he believes that “we’ve the makings of a deal that’s good for Ukraine and good for everyone”. “There’s nothing extra essential,” he added.
Trump says he thinks Putin is critical about peace this time as Zelenskyy arrives for high-stakes summit
Zelenskyy has arrived. The 2 leaders shook arms and stopped for footage. Trump has taken just a few questions from reporters forward of their assembly.
Requested whether or not he thinks Putin is critical about peace this time, Trump mentioned:
I do, I do. I feel he’s, I feel they each are.
He added in response to a different query:
We’ve acquired to make a deal, acquired to get it achieved … I feel each presidents wish to make a deal.
He mentioned to Zelenskyy that he would transient him on the decision with Putin.
Earlier we reported that the UK’s Keir Starmer had spoken with Volodymyr Zelenskyy forward of the Ukrainian president’s assembly with Donald Trump.
We now have a readout from Downing Road of that decision, by which Starmer reaffirmed the UK’s “unwavering help for Ukraine and its dedication to attaining a simply and lasting peace”.
Each leaders additionally “welcomed ongoing diplomatic efforts and counseled President Trump’s continued engagement in securing peace” forward of at present’s assembly.
Starmer additionally condemned Russia’s unlawful invasion and its latest drone attacks on Kyiv, Downing Road mentioned.
Whereas the main points have but to be disclosed, the call might be of potential concern to Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he waits to debate the newest draft of the peace plan with Donald Trump, who during the last 12 months has swayed backwards and forwards between sympathising with Ukraine’s place and backing a few of Putin’s most maximalist calls for.
The assembly is because of start within the subsequent half-hour, so persist with us.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has additionally simply confirmed to state information companies that the decision with Trump passed off. He additionally didn’t present additional particulars.
Trump says he had ‘good and really productive’ name with Putin forward of high-stakes Zelesnkyy assembly
Forward of his upcoming assembly with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Donald Trump mentioned he had “a very good and really productive” telephone name with Vladimir Putin, with out giving additional particulars in regards to the dialog.
He wrote on Fact Social:
I simply had a very good and really productive phone name with President Putin of Russia previous to my assembly, at 1:00 P.M. at present, with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine.
Trump added that the assembly with the Ukrainian president will happen within the important eating room of Mar-a-Lago, including: “Press is invited.”
Russian overseas minister says EU is ‘important impediment to peace’ and European troops in Ukraine could be a ‘reliable goal’
In the meantime, in a TASS interview printed on Sunday, Russian overseas minister Sergey Lavrov known as Europe the “important impediment to peace” in Ukraine.
Lavrov claimed to the state-run information company that the EU is “making no secret of the truth that they’re on the brink of battle it out with Russia on the battlefield”.
“We see that Zelenskyy’s regime and his European curators are not prepared to have interaction in constructive talks,” he mentioned, including that the Kremlin “appreciates efforts by President of the USA Donald Trump and his staff to attain a peace settlement”.
Lavrov added that if European peacekeeping troops have been to be stationed in Ukraine “our Armed Forces would view them as a reliable goal”.
