Work and consultations on both sides of the Atlantic are feverish to prepare the Trump -Putin meeting next Friday at.
The US president said today that both Ukraine and the territory will have to grant each other in order to end the war and that his talks with the Russian president would aim to evaluate the possibility of an agreement.
During a press conference at the White House, Trump said Friday’s talks with Vladimir Putin would be a “exploratory meeting” to determine if Putin is available to conclude an agreement. As he pointed out, he will know within two minutes if a progress will be possible.
“Therefore, I will talk to Vladimir Putin and tell him,” you have to end this war. You have to end it, “the US president told reporters, noting that he hopes for a” constructive “debate on Friday.
“I think this is going to go well, but it could go bad,” Trump said, while saying it was “worthy of respect” on the part of his Russian counterpart that he would come for this meeting on US territory.
Open to trilateral Trump
Donald Trump also said that he could even end up in a trilateral meeting in the presence of himself and Putin. He also said he would immediately contact the Ukrainian president as well as with European leaders after his talks with Putin and that his goal is to soon achieve a truce in the bloody conflict.
The 79 -year -old Republican also said he feels “a little frustrated that Zelenski says” I have to have a “green light from the Constitution” in order to grant territories.
“He got permission to enter the war and kill the whole world, but does he need a permission to move on to an exchange of territories?” Donald Trump questioned, adding:
“Because there will be some land exchange.”
“I know this through Russia and through talks with everyone, for the benefit of Ukraine,” he said. He added that Russia has understood some “very basic territories”, but “we will try to get some of these territories behind.”
The Ukrainian president warned on Saturday that “any decision that will be taken against us, any decision taken without Ukraine, will be a decision against peace”.
The Russian army has occupied about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
“Eventually, I’ll put them both (Zelenski and Putin) in a room, I’ll be there or I will not be there and I think this will be settled,” Donald Trump also said.
At the same time, the US president has implied, and this is not the first time, that he could also be completely released from all this.
“Maybe I say ‘good luck, keep fighting’. Or maybe I can say ‘we can find a deal’, “he said.
Extraordinary Council of European Leaders
Ukraine, European Union and US, the Chancellor is taking the chancellor initiative in view of the Trump and Putin meeting.
On Wednesday at 15:00 (Greek time), the German government is organizing a teleconference between the leaders of Finland, France, Italy, Britain, Poland, the European Commission and the European Council, the Secretary General of NATO and the US Secretary -General and the Ukrainian President, Vice -President of the TSD Vance.
The goal of the German mediating effort is to form a common transatlantic position before the Alaska Summit.
According to the Bild newspaper, the talker talks will focus on how to increase pressure in Russia, the issue of the series of meetings for negotiations after Friday, on the Ukrainian territories that could possibly be exchanged and guaranteed by Kiev so far as possible.
“Europeans cannot and should not be mere spectators when it comes to such a critical strategic issue for Europe’s future,” said Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Zelenski’s concerns
Ukraine President Volodimir Zelenski fears that Friday’s meeting can lead to territorial concessions of his country.
“Everyone is seeing that there has been no real step from Russia to peace, no action on the ground or in the air that could save lives. That is why sanctions are needed, it needs pressure, it takes strength, “Zelenski wrote on social media.
“And this is not just a matter of ethics, it is also a matter of reason. The concessions do not convince a killer. “
Ukrainian President also said that there is no evidence that Russia is preparing to end hostilities in Ukraine.
“On the contrary, they are moving their troops and forces in a way that allows them to launch new offensive operations,” he said in his evening profession, citing a report by Ukrainian Information Services.
‘Transatlantic unity for ending war’
“The Transatlantic Unity is the way we will end this war and prevent a future Russian aggression in Europe,” said Kaya Callas, EU High Representative on Foreign Affairs and Policy Security, shortly after completing the extraordinary council.
In a post on “X”, Kaya Callas also said that “EU Foreign Ministers today expressed their support for US steps that will lead to a fair peace” and adds: “In the meantime, we are working for more sanctions against Russia, more military support for Ukraine and more military support for Ukraine.”
