Donald Trump says now Putin, Zelensky to set up meeting, 'up to Ukraine President’ to reach deal
Donald Trump said the onus was now on the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to build on the Alaska summit.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin were going to set up a meeting to try to reach a ceasefire to end Russia's war in Ukraine.
Donald Trump added that the onus was now on the Ukrainian President to build on the Alaska summit between the US leader and his Russian counterpart and secure a deal to end Russia's three-year invasion.
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"Now, it's really up to President Zelensky to get it done. And I would also say the European nations, they have to get involved a little bit. But it's up to President Zelensky... And if they would like, I will be at that next meeting," Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity after meeting with Putin in Alaska.
“They are going to set up a meeting now between President Zelensky and President Putin and myself, I guess,” the US President said, advising Zelensky to meet a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
When asked about his advice to Zelensky, Trump said, "Gotta make a deal. Yeah. Look, Russia is a very big power, and they're not. They' are great soldiers."
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Trump and Putin end summit without Ukraine deal
Trump and Putin made no breakthrough on Ukraine at their high-stakes summit, pointing to areas of agreement and rekindling a friendship but offering no news on a ceasefire.
Trump, fond of calling himself a master deal-maker, rolled out the red carpet for Putin at an Alaska air base for the first time the Russian leader was allowed on Western soil since he ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
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After an abrupt ending to three hours of talks with aides, Trump and Putin offered warm words but took no questions from reporters – highly unusual for the media-savvy US president.
“We were not there yet, but we have made progress. There's no deal until there's a deal,” Trump said.
He called the meeting “extremely productive” with “many points” agreed, although he did not offer specifics.
“There are just a very few that are left, some are not that significant, one is probably the most significant,” Trump said without elaborating.
Putin also spoke in general terms of cooperation in a joint press appearance that lasted just 12 minutes.
“We hope that the understanding we have reached will... pave the way for peace in Ukraine,” Putin said.
As Trump mused about a second meeting, Putin smiled and said in English: "Next time in Moscow."
The former KGB agent quickly tried to flatter Trump, who has voiced admiration for the Russian leader in the past.
Putin told Trump he agreed with him that the Ukraine war, which Putin ordered, would not have happened if Trump were president instead of Joe Biden.
(With inputs from Reuters, AFP)
