Less than a month into his historical second term, US President Donald J. Trump has moved the needle in the peace negotiations towards an end of the war in Ukraine.
We’ve had confirmations that department-level negotiations have been ongoing, and are accelerating, as you can read in As the World Awaits the US-Russia Peace Talks, the Kremlin Asks for Patience and To Give the Trump Administration Time – Talks Between the Departments Are Reportedly Intensifying.
And yesterday (7), Trump himself confirmed that he would probably meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as early as next week, to discuss the peace effort.
It was not immediately clear whether it would be a face-to-face meeting or a video conference.
Read: After Ceasefire With Russia, Trump and Kellogg Want Ukraine To Hold Presidential Elections – Zelensky’s Mandate Expired in Mid-2024
Trump made the revelation while taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Reuters reported:
“Trump said he will ‘probably be meeting with President Zelenskiy next week’, and he also again expressed interest in meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin with whom he said he always had a ‘good relationship’.”
Read: WATCH: “I Don’t Know Where All This Money Is” – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Says Ukraine Only Received About $75 Billion of $177 Billion in U.S. Aid
When asked for the location of his meeting with Zelenskiy, Trump said ‘I’m here’ in Washington DC, indicating that he would not be going to Ukraine.
“’I’d like to see it end, just on a human basis’, Trump said of Russia’s three-year-old invasion of Ukraine. ‘I’d like to see that end. It’s a ridiculous war’.
Trump said he wanted to talk to Zelenskiy about security for Ukraine assets such as rare earth minerals and wants ‘an equal amount of something’ in exchange for U.S. support. ‘We would like them to equalize’.”
Read: REPORT: Trump’s Peace Plan for Russia and Ukraine Allegedly Leaked – Talks Between Putin and Zelensky – Ceasefire by Easter – No NATO for Kiev
Kiev is trying to guarantee continued U.S. support in its war effort, and looking forward to a visit this month by Trump’s envoy, Keith Kellogg.
“[Zelensky’s chief of staff] Yermak said he had spoken to Kellogg about topics including the battlefield situation, the safety of Ukrainian civilians, and meetings at the annual Munich Security Conference later this month.”
Read more:
Ukrainian President Zelensky Demands the West Provide Ukraine with Nuclear Weapons (VIDEO)
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