‘Russia is a big power, they are not’: Trump changes tone towards Ukraine ahead of Zelensky’s visit to US | 10 points
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he will travel to Washington on Monday to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss efforts to end Russia’s invasion. The visit comes as Ukraine and its European allies advocate for a trilateral summit involving Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Here are the top ten updates:
1. U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said that Ukraine should seek a deal to end the war with Russia, arguing that “Russia is a very big power, and they’re not.” His remarks followed a summit where Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly demanded additional Ukrainian territory.
Also Read: Putin calls Trump talks on Ukraine ‘frank and useful,’ says path to decisions closer
2. Trump said he now agrees with Russian President Vladimir Putin that efforts should focus on negotiating a peace deal without a prior ceasefire, a shift from his earlier stance before the summit, when he insisted he would not be satisfied unless a ceasefire was in place first, Reuters reported.
3. “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 posted on Truth Social.
4. Zelensky said Russia’s refusal to accept a ceasefire was complicating efforts to end Moscow’s more than three-year-long conflict, AFP reported.
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5. “We see that Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing. This complicates the situation,” he said in a social media post late Saturday.
6. “If they lack the will to carry out a simple order to stop the strikes, it may take a lot of effort to get Russia to have the will to implement far greater — peaceful coexistence with its neighbours for decades.”
7. Several senior European diplomats voiced concern over the summit’s outcome, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to emerge as the main beneficiary. They noted that Putin secured a symbolic victory by receiving an invitation to visit the United States and seemed to have influenced Trump to shift focus away from an immediate ceasefire toward a broader peace settlement, a move that alarmed Ukraine and its European allies, Bloomberg reported.
8. European allies from the so-called coalition-of-the-willing countries that pledged support to Kyiv will hold a video call on Sunday, France said on Saturday. Some European leaders may also join Zelenskiy in person for his meeting with Trump on Monday, said one of the people.
Also Read: Donald Trump conveys Putin’s demand for more Ukrainian territory to Zelensky: Report
9. Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, commented on Telegram that Friday’s meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska demonstrated that negotiations remain possible despite ongoing fighting.
10. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Air Force reported on Telegram Saturday morning that Russia launched 85 drones and a ballistic missile at Ukrainian territory overnight, highlighting Moscow’s continued aggression despite diplomatic efforts. “On the day of negotiations, the Russians are killing as well. And that speaks volumes,” Zelensky said on X.
(With inputs from agencies)
