Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at the White House dressed in a dark suit instead of his usual military attire. It is expected that the Ukrainian leader, who has been waging a war initiated by Russia for three and a half years, will face a difficult choice proposed by Trump: surrender territory to Russia in exchange for US promises to ensure Ukraine's future security or hold his ground and risk provoking Trump's anger again.
Zelensky categorically rejects ceding any territories to Russia as a condition for peace, and the security guarantees offered by Trump remain vague, notes The New York Times. Zelensky does not have the authority to make the most significant concession that Putin apparently demands: to hand over the entire eastern part of Donbas to Russia, including territories still controlled by Ukraine. The Ukrainian constitution requires a referendum to transfer territory, and the overwhelming majority of Ukrainians oppose this.
Meanwhile, a few hours before the meeting, Trump placed the responsibility for the war on Zelensky, despite the fact that he leads a country that was invaded by Russia.
During the meeting, President Trump stated that the US would participate in providing security assistance to Ukraine as part of a war cessation agreement, but refused to provide additional details on what this assistance would look like.
'Significant assistance will be provided,' stated the US president. 'Europe is the first line of defense because they are there. But we are going to help them,' added the US president.
When asked if he was ready to send American peacekeepers to Ukraine, Trump did not give a definitive answer, noting that he is looking for a permanent solution, not a quick one that would lead to a resumption of hostilities in two years. At the same time, Trump once again categorically stated that Ukraine will not be in NATO.
President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned that today in Kharkiv, an 18-month-old child died as a result of a Russian attack, adding that he is ready for a trilateral meeting with the US and Russia on the issue of ending the war. He also thanked Melania Trump for a letter to Putin regarding the fate of Ukrainian children taken from Ukraine to Russia.
'We will have peace. I hope it will come immediately. Look, the war will end. When exactly—I can't tell you. But the war will end... Putin wants it to end,' said Trump. He also explained why, after meeting with Putin, he decided to abandon the idea of an immediate ceasefire. 'I don't think we need a ceasefire, it would be nice because people would stop dying, but now we are working on a lasting peace,' stated Trump.
When asked about holding elections, the president replied that Ukraine is ready to hold presidential elections, but security must be ensured. 'We need a peace treaty. We need truthful elections. Now, with the war, we can't hold them,' stated the Ukrainian leader.
Photo: The New York Times