Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: It wasn’t unexpected, after all, given what happened in Alaska on August 15. US President Donald Trump returned to the White House, delighted after meeting his ‘old friend,’ Russian President Vladimir Putin.
And Putin—some claimed it was one of his multiple body doubles!—also returned home without yielding an inch and, instead, regaining his seat on the high table of world diplomacy.
So, the latest update is: Trump is all dressed up to go, but Putin is unready!
After Trump’s meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and European leaders on Monday, it emerged that while Ukraine is ready for peace talks with Russia, Moscow is noncommittal. Now, the US and European leaders have rallied behind Kyiv for direct negotiations to end the fighting in Ukraine.
Trump and Zelensky, and a group of European leaders, sounded upbeat about the prospects of finding a way to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. The US and European leaders urged Zelensky and Putin to begin in-person negotiations to be hosted by Trump. Zelensky quickly agreed, but Russia was noncommittal, the media reported.
However, the US and Ukrainian Presidents struck a warmer tone than they did during an Oval Office encounter on February 28, which devolved into a televised showdown that alarmed European allies.
This time, the Trump administration expressed support for security guarantees to Ukraine to prevent Russia from attacking it again. Asked what guarantees he needs, Zelensky replied, “Everything.” Trump said the U.S. would be involved in some capacity, alluding to a NATO-like arrangement led by Europe. But neither Russia nor Ukraine are ready to give up their territorial claims.
Those who met Trump and Zelenskyy in the White House included French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. They stressed ceasefire, unity, and security guarantees.
Prior to his meeting with the European leaders, Trump held a private meeting with Zelenskyy. In a Truth Social post after the meeting, Trump said he has begun making arrangements for a face-to-face meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin to discuss ways to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which is now in its fourth year.
Zelenskyy said he was ready for “any format” of a meeting with Putin, adding that he would participate in a trilateral meeting, CNN reported. “I believe unconditionally we should meet and think about the further development of this path to the end of the war,” Zelenskyy said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Trump opened the doors to a resolution. However, he highlighted the complicated next steps. Calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine, Merz asked Trump to put pressure on Putin. According to a report in The Guardian, Merz said, “To be honest, we all would like to see a ceasefire, the latest from the next meeting on.”
French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that the European leaders want peace between the two countries. Reiterating remarks made by Merz about a ceasefire, Macron said, “At least to stop the killings.”
Macron said the most significant outcome of talks at the White House was the willingness of the US to work on the content of security guarantees for Ukraine, CNN reported. He said it was about the “whole security of the European continent,” adding that it would involve a strong Ukrainian army for “years and decades to come.”
According to CNN, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said the European leaders have agreed that Trump should inform Putin of what was decided in the meeting. Speaking of Trump’s call to Putin, Stubb said, “It was coordinated.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the talks as “good and constructive,” adding, “There was a real sense of unity between the European leaders that were there, and Presidents Trump and Zelensky.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasised the need to return all abducted Ukrainian children to their families. In a post on X, she wrote, “The human cost of this war must end. And that means every single Ukrainian child abducted by Russia must be returned to their families.”
NATO’s Secretary-General Mark Rutte said, “If Russia is not playing ball on direct talks with Ukraine, the United States plus Europe will do more when it comes to tariffs and sanctions on Moscow.” He also described the meeting between Trump and European leaders a “breakthrough” moment.