Update…
Trump called his buddy Putin during the Zelensky ‘get together’…
President Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and seven European leaders were gathered in the White House, two sources familiar with the call tell Axios
Why it matters: Trump said earlier Monday that Putin was expecting a call from him after the talks concluded. Trump said he hoped to quickly arrange a trilateral summit involving both Putin and Zelensky, but Putin has yet to agree to that idea.
- Trump similarly called Zelensky after his summit with Putinconcluded.
- In this case, though, Trump took a break from his meeting with the Europeans to place the call. Bild first reported the Trump-Putin call.
- Trump expressed optimism during his meeting with Zelensky and in the larger meeting with the European leaders about the prospect of a trilateral summit, and a peace deal soon thereafter.
What they’re saying: Trump said on Truth Social that he’d called Putin and “began the arrangements for a meeting” between Putin and Zelensky, to be followed by yet another summit, this time also including Trump.
- Trump did not announce a date for the Putin-Zelensky meeting and said the location had not been determined.
- Russia did not confirm a meeting with Zelensky but only said that Trump and Putin had discussed “the idea of raising the level of Russian and Ukrainian representation in the negotiations.”
What to watch: One source said Trump discussed the trilateral summit idea in his meeting with Zelensky and the European leaders. “He said he wants to talk about it with Putin and that he wants to do it soon, but didn’t mention a date or location.”…
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Trump on Security for Ukraine….
During their second meeting in the Oval Office this year, President Donald Trump said the U.S. would be willing to support European efforts to police any peace deal in Ukraine, while its leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude and wore dressier clothes.
And Vice President JD Vance kept his mouth shut.
As Trump hosted Zelenskyy and top European leaders to energize months of stalled U.S.-led efforts to halt Russia’s 3 1/2-year-old war, the tone and style of the sit-down was far different than when Ukraine’s president was hounded out of the White House in February.
Following the talks, Trump called and spoke at length to Russian President Vladimir Putin who got the red carpet treatment at a summit with Trump last Friday in Alaska, to discuss the extraordinary gathering of allies. Trump said he would now work to arrange a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin….
AP…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump expressed hope that Monday’s critical talks with Ukrainian and European leaders at the White House could lead to trilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Monday’s hastily assembled meeting comes after Trump met with Putin and has said that the onus is now on Zelenskyy to agree to concessions that he said could end the war.
A group of European political heavy-hitters will also meet with the U.S. president after they were left out of Friday’s summit, and they are looking to safeguard Ukraine and the continent from any widening aggression from Moscow.
What to know about today’s White House meeting:
- Security guarantees for Ukraine: On the table for discussion are possible NATO-like security guarantees that Ukraine would need for any peace with Russia to be durable. Putin opposes Ukraine joining NATO outright, yet Trump’s team claims the Russian leader is open to allies agreeing to defend Ukraine if it comes under attack.
- The annexation of Crimea: Sunday night, Trump suggested that Ukraine could not regain Crimea, which Russia annexed illegally in 2014, setting off an armed conflict that led to its broader 2022 invasion. Trump says Putin reiterated that he wants the key Donetsk and Luhansk regions that make up the Donbas.
- A potential peace accord: Trump has abandoned a push for a ceasefire, arguing instead for a full peace agreement, a position held by Putin. Moscow has long said it’s not interested in a temporary truce and is seeking a long-term settlement that takes the Kremlin’s interests into account. The president’s surrogates argue the pivot is due to strong progress made at the summit….
image….Axios…
This IS a developing story there will be updates later today…..