KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he will meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday after a Russia-U.S. summit concluded without an agreement to stop the fighting in Ukraine after 3 1/2 years. In a reversal only few hours after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump said an overall peace agreement, and not a ceasefire, was the best way to end the war. That statement echoed Putin’s view that Russia is not interested in a temporary truce, and instead is seeking a long-term settlement that takes Moscow’s interests into account. Trump and Ukraine’s European allies had been calling for a ceasefire ahead of any negotiations.
Summit puts Putin back on the global stage and Trump echoes a Kremlin position
In a summit meeting marked by red carpets, handshakes and military flyovers, President Vladimir Putin made his first trip to the United States in a decade and was greeted warmly by President Donald Trump. But they failed to reach a deal on ending the war in Ukraine. After the spectacle, Trump seemed to abandon the idea of a ceasefire, favoring a “Peace Agreement” instead. That aligned him with the Kremlin’s position. Observers say the Alaska summit gave Putin what he wanted. Trump has stopped talking about the threats of more sanctions on Russia. Meanwhile, Russia continues its military actions in Ukraine, making slow advances on the battlefield, despite the summit slogan of “Pursuing Peace.”
