United States urged by Europe and Ukraine to address matters with Russia, in anticipation of Trump-Putin summit
In a significant development, US President Donald Trump has announced that he, along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, is close to a deal that could potentially resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, the details of this proposed agreement remain unclear.
The joint statement issued by French, Italian, German, British leaders, and the president of the European Commission did not provide any new details about this deal. The statement did express support for Trump's push for peace regarding the Ukraine conflict, but also emphasized the need to maintain support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia.
Trump has stated that the potential deal would involve "some swapping of territories to the betterment of both," but the specifics of the agreement have not been disclosed. The outcome of Ukraine surrendering significant parts of its territory, as suggested by the potential deal, could potentially encourage Russian aggression, according to Zelensky and his European allies.
In contrast to Trump and Putin's direct approach for a full peace agreement, European leaders and Ukraine insist that any peace negotiations must begin with a ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has emphasized that a genuine, lasting peace must be reached, but insists that killings and attacks must stop immediately, reflecting a call for a ceasefire before full talks.
Trump is open to a trilateral summit with Putin and Zelensky, but the White House is currently planning a bilateral meeting as requested by Putin. The meeting between Trump and Putin is scheduled to take place in Alaska on Friday. However, Russian and Ukrainian officials could not be reached for comment on the prospects of a trilateral meeting.
The proposed deal between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky focuses on negotiating a full peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine, rather than starting with a temporary ceasefire. This stance is at odds with European leaders and Kyiv, who view a ceasefire as a critical precondition for negotiations to ensure stability and trust before advancing to comprehensive peace terms.
References: 1. The Washington Post 2. Reuters 3. BBC News
The proposed agreement between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky, as reported by The Washington Post, Reuters, and BBC News, focuses on arts, politics, and general news related to the resolution of war-and-conflicts, specifically the conflict in Ukraine. The potential deal involves "some swapping of territories to the betterment of both," but the specifics have not been disclosed, raising concerns among Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his European allies, who prefer starting peace negotiations with a ceasefire.
