The discussions took place at the White House in a high-stakes meeting that brought together Zelensky, Trump, and top European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was also present.
'If everything works out today, we'll have a trilat,' Trump said, referring to potential three-way talks between himself, Zelensky, and Putin. 'We're going to work with Russia, we're going to work with Ukraine.' Zelensky responded positively, stating, 'We are ready for trilateral. I think this is very good.'
The meeting follows Trump's summit with Putin in Alaska last Friday.
Trump has urged Zelensky to consider concessions, including abandoning Ukraine's goal of joining NATO and giving up Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. European leaders, excluded from the Alaska talks, attended Monday's session to ensure Ukraine's security and safeguard the continent from potential aggression.
During the White House meeting, discussions also focused on NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine, which could provide a durable framework for peace. While Putin opposes Ukraine joining NATO outright, Trump's team indicated that Russia might accept Western powers committing to defend Ukraine if attacked.
Despite the high tensions surrounding the war, the atmosphere between Trump and Zelensky was calm, a contrast to their February Oval Office meeting, where Trump publicly criticised Zelensky over US military aid.
Trump even complimented Zelensky on his black jacket, joking, 'I love it,' a lighthearted moment that drew attention to the Ukrainian leader's decision to wear his signature war-leader attire rather than a formal suit. The choice of attire was a change from his previous visit in February, when he was criticised by a reporter for not wearing a formal suit and said he would wear one "after the war is finished."
Air raid sirens sounded over Kyiv as the European delegation arrived in Washington, underscoring the ongoing threat from Russian strikes that killed at least seven people overnight.
Zelensky described the talks as 'very serious' and emphasised the need for 'reliable and lasting peace for Ukraine and the whole of Europe,' highlighting the importance of Western security guarantees.
Trump said he planned to speak with Putin later on Monday, maintaining that while a ceasefire may not be necessary for negotiations, there remains a 'good chance' of ending the conflict that began with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
