Washington, D.C.,– U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he plans to meet with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky next week, with Washington, D.C., as the likely venue.
The announcement came during a press briefing ahead of talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House.
“I will probably be meeting with Zelensky next week, and I will probably be talking to [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin,” Trump stated. “He [Zelensky] may meet [with me] next week, whatever he’s like, I’m here.”
The U.S. president indicated a preference for hosting the talks in Washington, adding, “It could be [in] Washington. Well, I’m not going there [to Ukraine].” However, Trump did not provide further details on the timing or agenda of his potential conversation with Putin.
Trump also reiterated his belief that the Ukrainian crisis would not have occurred if he had been president at the time it began. “The Ukrainian crisis never would’ve happened if I were president when it started,” he said.
This development follows Trump’s earlier remarks expressing hope for a peace agreement in Ukraine “at some point in the not too distant future.” The announcement comes amid ongoing discussions about the future of Ukraine and its relations with both Russia and the West.
On June 14, 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined Moscow’s conditions for a settlement in Ukraine during a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Foreign Ministry. These conditions include the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbass and Novorossiya, Ukraine’s pledge not to join NATO, and the full protection of the rights, freedoms, and interests of Russian-speaking citizens in Ukraine. Additionally, Russia has called for the lifting of all Western sanctions and the establishment of Ukraine as a non-aligned, nuclear-free state.
In recent weeks, Western media has increasingly speculated that any meaningful settlement talks regarding Ukraine should primarily involve Russia and the United States, with only nominal participation from Kiev and exclusion of European powers. This perspective underscores the growing perception that the U.S. and Russia hold the key to resolving the conflict, despite Ukraine’s central role in the crisis.
As preparations for the potential meeting between Trump and Zelensky unfold, the international community will be closely watching for signs of progress toward a lasting resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
