Trump to meet Zelensky on Monday after "difficult" post-summit call
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Trump and Putin during their Oval Office blow-up in February. Photo: Paul Loeb/AFP via Getty
After his summit with Russian President Putin in Alaska on Friday, President Trump will meet Ukrainian President Zelensky for what could be a difficult meeting at the White House on Monday afternoon.
Why it matters: Trump's positions coming out of the meeting — that he no longer supports a ceasefire, and it's "up to President Zelensky" to make peace — appear highly unfavorable to Ukraine.
Driving the news: Zelensky and Trump announced their upcoming meeting after a phone call between Trump, the Ukrainian president and several NATO leaders during which the president briefed them on his meeting with Putin.
- The call, which lasted more than an hour an a half, "was not easy," a source with direct knowledge said.
- The meeting will take place six months after their disastrous Oval Office meeting in February.
Behind the scenes: Trump called Zelensky from Air Force One on his way back to Washington from Alaska. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House envoy Steve Witkoff, who were in the Trump-Putin meeting, were also on the call.
- They spoke with Zelensky for an hour and then the leaders of the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Finland, NATO and the European Commission joined the call for another half hour.
- According to the source, Trump told Zelensky and the NATO leaders that Putin doesn't want a ceasefire and prefers a comprehensive agreement to end the war.
- "Trump said on the call that he thinks a fast peace deal is better than a ceasefire," the source said.
Between the lines: That's the opposite from the approach Trump originally endorsed. Zelensky has been adamant that there must be a ceasefire before peace talks.
Trump also told Zelensky that Putin had told him that Russia was making significant progress on the front lines and that if he wanted, he could capture the entire Donetsk region and other areas where fighting is taking place.
- According to the source, Zelensky told Trump that Putin was misrepresenting the situation on the front.
- During the call, Witkoff briefed Zelensky and the NATO leaders on how Putin sees the issue of territory and what he's willing to give in return.
- "The impression was that in return for territory, Putin is willing to end the war and commit not to try and occupy more areas in Ukraine and to not attack other countries," the source said.
- Trump told Fox News after the summit that he and Putin agreed on most but not all issues, and it was now "up to President Zelensky to get it done."
What they're saying: "Ukraine reaffirms its readiness to work with maximum effort to achieve peace. It is important that America's strength has an impact on the development of the situation. We support President Trump's proposal for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia," Zelensky said after the call.
- He added that he will use his meeting with Trump on Monday to discuss "all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war."
- "It is important that Europeans are involved at every stage to ensure reliable security guarantees together with America. We also discussed positive signals from the American side regarding participation in guaranteeing Ukraine's security," Zelensky said.
- Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday morning that his meeting with Putin was "very successful" as was his late night phone call with Zelensky and the European Leaders.
- "It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up," Trump said.
What's next: Trump wrote that "if all works out" he will schedule a trilateral summit with Putin and Zelensky soon. "Potentially, millions of people's lives will be saved," he stressed.
