Several European and NATO leaders are coming to Washington to discuss Trump’s negotiations with Putin, and to prevent any repeat of the last time Ukraine’s president met with Trump.
That was one of the most hostile meetings ever between a U.S. president and a visiting head of state.
Trump is continuing to pressure Zelenskyy, writing on Truth Social that the Ukrainian president “…can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight.”
Zelenskyy responded overnight, writing, “Russia must end this war, which it itself started. And I hope that our joint strength with America, with our European friends, will force Russia into a real peace.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told ABC both sides will have to compromise.
“You can’t have a peace agreement unless both sides make concessions. If not, it’s just called surrender, and neither side is going to surrender,” Rubio said.
White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who was in the talks with Putin, says the United States did get Russia to agree to stronger security guarantees, including NATO style protection for Ukraine if is attacked again.
“We were able to win the following concession, that the United States could offer Article Five-like protection…which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO,” Witkoff told CNN.
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy called the summit with Putin a “disaster,” an “embarrassment,” and a “failure.”
“Putin got everything he wanted,” Murphy told NBC. “He was invited to the United States. War criminals are not normally invited to the United States. So, Putin walks away with this photo op, with zero commitments made and zero consequences. What a great day for Russia.”
Putin is demanding Ukraine give up the Donetsk region, which Russia has failed to take by military force, in exchange for the fighting to end.
Zelenskyy says Ukraine’s constitution won’t allow that.
One issue to be hammered out with European leaders today is what security guarantees for Ukraine would look like, and how they would be enforced.
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