“COUNTING ON AMERICA”
Zelenskyy, who was not invited to Alaska, and his European allies had feared Trump might sell out Ukraine by essentially freezing the conflict and recognising – if only informally – Russian control over one-fifth of Ukraine.
Trump had sought to assuage such concerns on Friday ahead of the talks, saying he would let Ukraine decide on any possible territorial concessions.
“I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine, I’m here to get them at a table,” he said.
Asked what would make the meeting a success, he told reporters: “I want to see a ceasefire rapidly … I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today … I want the killing to stop.”
The meeting also included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Trump’s special envoy to Russia, Steve Witkoff; Russian foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov; and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Trump, who said during his presidential campaign that he would end Russia’s war in Ukraine within 24 hours, conceded on Thursday it had proven a tougher task than he had expected. He had said if Friday’s talks went well, quickly arranging a second, three-way summit with Zelenskyy would be more important than his encounter with Putin.
Trump ended his remarks on Friday by telling Putin: “I’d like to thank you very much, and we’ll speak to you very soon and probably see you again very soon.”
“Next time in Moscow,” Putin responded. Trump said he might “get a little heat on that one” but that he could “possibly see it happening”.
Zelenskyy said ahead of Friday’s summit that the meeting should open the way for a “just peace” and three-way talks that included him, but added that Russia was continuing to wage war.
“It’s time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram.
