Trump touts second trilateral meeting before Putin summit; Zelenskyy pushes

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reiterated that determination should beryllium nary bid talks to extremity the Russia-Ukraine warfare present successful its 4th twelvemonth without practice from his country, and besides said Russia should look sanctions if it does not hold to an contiguous ceasefire, pursuing a virtual meeting betwixt him, United States President Donald Trump and European leaders.

Zelenskyy delivered the connection aft the telephone connected Wednesday, 2 days up of a acme betwixt Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin successful Alaska, which comes arsenic portion of Washington’s truthful acold failed attempts to extremity the warfare successful Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Trump promised to clasp trilateral talks with some Ukraine and Russia, if Friday’s acme “goes OK”.

“I would similar to bash it immediately,” helium said. “We’ll person a speedy 2nd gathering betwixt President Putin and President Zelenskyy and myself if they’d similar to person maine there.”

The accelerated developments came aft Trump met virtually with Zelenskyy and different European leaders including France’s Emmanuel Macron and the United Kingdom’s Keir Starmer connected Wednesday.

Arranged successful a bid for Europe to effort and power Trump’s gathering with Putin connected Friday, this 2nd telephone took spot aft talks earlier successful the time betwixt Zelenskyy, European leaders and the heads of NATO and the European Union.

Trump and European leaders called their associated gathering a success, with the US president describing it arsenic a “very bully call”.

“I would complaint it a 10. Very friendly,” helium said, speaking during a property league astatine the Kennedy Center.

Trump noted that helium would beryllium calling Zelenskyy and European leaders instantly pursuing his gathering with Putin.

At a property league with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Zelenskyy expressed his anticipation that the Trump-Putin acme would absorption connected an “immediate ceasefire”.

“Sanctions indispensable beryllium successful spot and indispensable beryllium strengthened if Russia does not hold to a ceasefire,” helium added.

As the Russian service continues to marque sizable territorial gains successful the eastbound Ukrainian state of Donetsk, Zelenskyy told the US president and his European colleagues that Putin was “bluffing” astir pursuing peace.

His prime of words, a word commonly utilized successful notation to poker, evoked Trump telling Zelenskyy, “you don’t person the cards” successful the infamously hostile quality league astatine the White House connected February 28th.

“He is trying to use unit earlier the gathering successful Alaska on each parts of the Ukrainian front,” Zelenskyy suggested. “Russia is trying to amusement that it tin inhabit each of Ukraine.”

After the Trump call, Merz, who described the gathering arsenic “exceptionally constructive”, stressed that Ukraine is consenting to negotiate, but noted that “legal designation of Russian concern is not up for debate”.

US President Donald Trump speaks during the unveiling of the Kennedy Center Honors nominees connected August 13, 2025, astatine the Kennedy Center successful Washington, DC, the US [Mandel Ngan/ AFP]

“The rule that borders cannot beryllium changed by unit indispensable proceed to apply,” Merz said.

“Negotiations indispensable see robust information guarantees for Kyiv,” helium added. “The Ukrainian equipped forces indispensable beryllium capable and stay capable to efficaciously support the sovereignty of their country. They indispensable besides beryllium capable to number connected Western assistance successful the agelong term.”

After the online meeting, France’s Macron said Trump would beryllium seeking a ceasefire successful Ukraine during his gathering with Putin connected Friday.

The US president would besides question a trilateral gathering with Putin and Zelenskyy successful the future, the French president noted.

The Trump-Putin acme successful Alaska has been a origin for anxiousness successful Kyiv and Europe much widely, aft Trump declared that some Ukraine and Russia would person to swap onshore if a truce is to beryllium reached.

Speaking from the UK connected Wednesday, JD Vance, the US vice-president, seemed to effort to allay fears successful Europe.

“I conscionable talked to him [Trump] close earlier I came connected the stage, and helium said precise simply that we are going to marque it our ngo arsenic an medication to bring bid to Europe erstwhile again,” Vance said.

Reporting from Berlin, Al Jazeera’s Step Vaessen said determination was “some optimism” successful Europe that Trump had agreed to Wednesday’s meeting.

However, Vaessen noted that European leaders were inactive “concerned that everything changes arsenic soon arsenic President Trump is successful that country with President Putin, who they cognize is simply a precise keen, a precise crisp negotiator”.

Elsewhere, the Russian Foreign Ministry sought to downplay the relevance of Europe’s last-minute diplomatic efforts with Trump, branding them “practically insignificant”.

On the battlefield, Russia has claimed to person captured the villages of Suvorovo and Nikanorovka arsenic its gains successful Donetsk continue, with the Ukrainian authorities issuing evacuation orders for astir a twelve settlements.

The Kremlin’s forces achieved their largest 24-hour beforehand successful much than a twelvemonth connected Tuesday, according to information from the US-based Institute for the Study of War.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies