WASHINGTON/MOSCOW/KYIV, Aug 16 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that Ukraine ought to make a deal to finish the battle with Russia as a result of “Russia is a very big power, and they’re not”, after a summit the place Vladimir Putin was reported to have demanded extra Ukrainian land.
After the 2 leaders met in Alaska on Friday, Trump advised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Putin had supplied to freeze most entrance traces if Kyiv ceded all of Donetsk, the economic area that’s one in all Moscow’s primary targets, a supply aware of the matter stated.
Zelenskiy rejected the demand, the supply stated. Russia already controls a fifth of Ukraine, together with about three-quarters of Donetsk province, which it first entered in 2014.
Trump additionally stated he agreed with Putin {that a} peace deal needs to be sought with out the prior ceasefire that Ukraine and its European allies had demanded. That was a change from his place earlier than the summit, when he stated wouldn’t be blissful except a ceasefire was agreed on.
“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 Reality Social.
Zelenskiy stated Russia’s unwillingness to pause the preventing would complicate efforts to forge a long-lasting peace. “Stopping the killing is a key element of stopping the war,” he stated on X.
Nonetheless, Zelenskiy stated he would meet Trump in Washington on Monday.
SERGEY BOBYLEV through Getty Pictures
That may evoke recollections of a assembly within the White Home Oval Workplace in February, the place Trump and Vice President JD Vance gave Zelenskiy a brutal public dressing-down. Trump stated a three-way assembly with Putin and Zelenskiy may observe.
Kyiv’s European allies welcomed Trump’s efforts however vowed to again Ukraine and tighten sanctions on Russia. European leaders may be part of Monday’s White Home assembly as nicely, German Overseas Minister Johann Wadephul stated.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has been regularly advancing for months. The battle – the deadliest in Europe for 80 years – has killed or wounded nicely over one million folks from each side, together with hundreds of principally Ukrainian civilians, in response to analysts.
RUSSIA LIKELY TO WELCOME TRUMP’S COMMENTS
Trump’s varied feedback on the three-hour assembly with Putin principally aligned with the public positions of Moscow, which says a full settlement will probably be advanced as a result of positions are “diametrically opposed”.
Putin signalled no motion in Russia’s long-held calls for, which additionally embody a veto on Kyiv’s desired membership within the NATO alliance. He made no point out in public of assembly Zelenskiy. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov stated a three-way summit had not been mentioned.
In an interview with Fox Information’ Sean Hannity, Trump signalled that he and Putin had mentioned land transfers and safety ensures for Ukraine, and had “largely agreed”.
“I think we’re pretty close to a deal,” he stated, including: “Ukraine has to agree to it. Maybe they’ll say ‘no’.”
Requested what he would advise Zelenskiy to do, Trump stated: “Gotta make a deal.”
“Look, Russia is a very big power, and they’re not,” he added.
NEED FOR SECURITY GUARANTEES FOR UKRAINE
Zelenskiy has constantly stated he can’t concede territory with out modifications to Ukraine’s structure, and Kyiv sees Donetsk’s “fortress cities” comparable to Sloviansk and Kramatorsk as a bulwark towards additional Russian advances.
Zelenskiy has additionally insisted on safety ensures, to discourage Russia from invading once more. He stated he and Trump had mentioned “positive signals” on the U.S. collaborating, and that Ukraine wanted a long-lasting peace, not “just another pause” between Russian invasions.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed what he described as Trump’s openness to offering safety ensures to Ukraine underneath a peace deal. He stated safety ensures had been “essential to any just and lasting peace.”
Putin, who has opposed involving international floor forces, stated he agreed with Trump that Ukraine’s safety have to be “ensured”.
For Putin, simply sitting down with Trump represented a victory. He had been ostracised by Western leaders because the begin of the battle, and only a week earlier had confronted a risk of recent sanctions from Trump.
‘1-0 FOR PUTIN’
Trump spoke to European leaders after returning to Washington. A number of burdened the necessity to hold stress on Russia.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated an finish to the battle was nearer than ever, because of Trump, however stated he would impose extra sanctions on Russia if the battle continues.
European leaders stated in an announcement that Ukraine will need to have “ironclad” safety ensures and no limits needs to be positioned on its armed forces or proper to hunt NATO membership, as Russia has sought.
Some European politicians and commentators had been scathing concerning the summit.
“Putin got his red carpet treatment with Trump, while Trump got nothing,” Wolfgang Ischinger, former German ambassador to Washington, posted on X.
Each Russia and Ukraine carried out in a single day air assaults, a each day prevalence, whereas preventing raged on the entrance.
Trump advised Fox he would postpone imposing tariffs on China for getting Russian oil, however he may need to “think about it” in two or three weeks.
He ended his remarks after the summit by telling Putin: “We’ll speak to you very soon and probably see you again very soon.”
“Next time in Moscow,” a smiling Putin responded in English.
(Further reporting by Yulia Dysa, Kanishka Singh, Trevor Hunnicutt, Jeff Mason, Lidia Kelly, Jasper Ward, Costas Pitas, Ismail Shakil, Bhargav Acharya, Alan Charlish, Yuliia Dysa, Pavel Polityuk, Gwladys Fouche, Dave Graham, Paul Sandle, Joshua McElwee, Andreas Rinke, Felix Gentle and Moscow bureau; Writing by Andy Sullivan, Kevin Liffey, Mark Trevelyan, Joseph Ax and James Oliphant; Enhancing by Raju Gopalakrishnan, Gareth Jones and Cynthia Osterman)
