Trump: ‘Peace in Ukraine possible, first meeting with Putin in Saudi Arabia’

US president initiates contacts with Russia and Ukraine for a ceasefire

Donald Trump has stepped up his diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine by initiating direct talks with the leaders of the two countries involved. The US president had a long phone call with Vladimir Putin, which lasted about an hour and a half, followed by an hour-long conversation with Volodymyr Zelensky.

According to Trump, both leaders want peace, but Ukraine’s future will be marked by compromises, including a definitive halt to NATO membership, a condition that the Kremlin has always set as inalienable.

Summit with Putin in Saudi Arabia

Trump announced that the first meeting with Putin is likely to be held in Saudi Arabia, as part of a diplomatic initiative to end the conflict. ‘We had a wonderful phone call with Putin, then a very good conversation with Zelensky. I believe the first meeting with the Russian president will take place in Saudi Arabia in the not-too-distant future,’ he said.

According to Trump, this war has already caused the deaths of around 1.5 million soldiers, and the situation must be resolved as soon as possible. ‘If I had been president, this conflict would never have started,’ he added, criticising the Biden administration for its handling of the crisis.

Ukraine out of NATO, but with security guarantees

One of the key aspects of Trump’s plan concerns the future of Ukrainian security. The US president ruled out Kiev’s membership in NATO, calling it an ‘unrealistic’ prospect. The same concept was reiterated by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth during the NATO ministerial in Brussels.

‘The United States does not believe that Ukraine’s membership in NATO is a realistic option for a peace agreement. Any security guarantee will have to be supported by European and non-European forces, without the deployment of US troops in Ukraine,’ Hegseth said.

Zelensky calls for security, Trump points to economic agreements

The Ukrainian president continues to call for security guarantees, considering NATO a necessary protection to avoid the risk of new conflicts. However, Trump considers the priority to be an immediate end to the war and stressed that the US wants to secure an economic return on aid sent to Kiev.

‘Ukraine must make peace, its people are being killed. We gave Kiev $350 billion, while Europe contributed $100 billion in the form of loans. Now we want guarantees on the return of these funds, considering Ukraine’s mineral, oil and gas resources,’ he said.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, visiting Kiev, confirmed that Washington is working on an economic cooperation agreement with Ukraine, which is a precondition for continued US material support.

Possible territorial concessions for Kiev?

One of the most sensitive issues concerns the future of Russian-occupied territories. Trump has hinted that Ukraine may have to accept territorial losses in the peace process. ‘They have lost soldiers and territories, I think they will take some of it back,’ he said, without specifying further.

Zelensky, for his part, remained cautious after his conversation with Trump, reiterating the importance of a lasting and guaranteed peace. ‘Nobody wants peace more than Ukraine. Together with the US, we are defining the next steps to stop Russian aggression and ensure a reliable peace,’ he said.

Moscow confirms contacts and invites Trump to Russia

From the Kremlin comes confirmation of communications between the two presidents. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin had invited Trump to Moscow and expressed willingness to host White House representatives to discuss the situation in Ukraine.

Trump and Putin agreed to keep communication channels open, with the aim of arranging a meeting in person soon.

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