Trilateral talks eyed with Putin

Zelenskyy and Trump discuss a path to trilateral talks with Putin at the White House, signaling a push for a peace process in Ukraine.

Trump Zelenskyy Push for Trilateral Talks with Putin

At the White House, Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and senior European leaders for a session focused on ending the war. They discussed the possibility of trilateral talks among the United States, Russia, and Ukraine, with emphasis on a ceasefire and the future status of Ukrainian land seized by Russia. Trump said a face-to-face meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin could help set terms, while foreign partners pressed for concrete security guarantees and a clear path to lasting peace.

Trump did not commit American troops to a NATO style defense plan. He indicated that a security presence would be defined after talks with EU partners. Russia rejected talk of a NATO peacekeeping force, warning about unpredictable consequences. Zelenskyy and European leaders underscored the need for a credible security framework and ongoing military support to deter further aggression. The session followed Trump’s Alaska meeting with Putin and shows how diplomacy is moving from dialogue to formal terms, with personal notes exchanged about the war's toll.

By inviting Putin into the broader conversation, Washington tests a diplomacy that mixes public reassurance with private leverage. The danger is that any concession on territory could become a precondition for a pause rather than a step toward endgame, forcing Zelenskyy to weigh short term relief against longer term sovereignty.

European leaders are watching for credible guarantees and real timelines. A successful trilateral path would require verifiable steps, transparent reporting, and a plan to maintain unity among Kyiv's allies. If talks stall, or if details stay vague, hard-liners on all sides may gain ground and public support for aid to Ukraine could falter.

Highlights

The next moves will test the price of peace.