Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump met for the first time since their disastrous clash last February, just days after their historic summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska. He was accompanied by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
For Volodymyr Zelensky, it was a long day in Washington, with a whirlwind of meetings centering around the face-to-face meeting in the Oval Office: first the meeting with US envoy Keith Kellogg, then the meeting with European leaders to finalize the final details, during which "our positions were coordinated," as announced by Zelensky himself.
Zelensky arrived at the White House wearing a black jacket and shirt, but without a tie. This change of style was publicly appreciated by Trump, who—as some US media reported—requested the Ukrainian delegation to wear a suit. The Ukrainian leader repeatedly thanked the Republican, mindful of the criticism he received last time for not expressing his gratitude to the United States more enthusiastically. "Thank you for the invitation, and thank you so much for your efforts, including your personal efforts, to end the killing and stop this war," he said in the Oval Office, where US Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and special envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg were also present.
Trump reiterated that he doesn't want "a ceasefire," but "a lasting peace" by working "with everyone." "If everything goes well today, there will be a trilateral meeting, there will be a chance to end this war," he explained. And Zelensky himself, who has long been calling for a face-to-face meeting with Putin, said he was "ready" to meet with him and Trump.
The Ukrainian president reiterated that Russia should not be "rewarded" for invading his country in February 2022 and called for a "solid and lasting" peace to be ensured through security guarantees. "I know exactly what I'm doing," Trump wrote this afternoon on Truth Social. The Republican billionaire, however, publicly stated what he wants from Kiev: to renounce Crimea, occupied by Russia since 2014, and NATO membership. Upon his return from Alaska, Trump raised the possibility of a collective security clause inspired by Article 5 of the Alliance, but outside the framework of NATO, which Moscow considers an existential threat. He then assured that the United States "will be involved" in Ukraine's future security, a crucial issue for Kiev and the Europeans. "We will provide them with excellent protection," he promised, later announcing that at the end of the meetings he would call Putin to report on the outcome.
The White House resident then formally welcomed the European leaders and, after a group photo, the long-awaited multilateral meeting with Zelensky began. (ANSA).
(Unioneonline/D)