Trump Says Putin, Zelensky to Meet, Puts Pressure on Ukraine to Strike Deal

Donald Trump said Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky will set up a meeting to pursue a Ukraine ceasefire, stressing it is now up to the Ukrainian president to secure a deal. After his Alaska summit with Putin, Trump called talks “productive” but admitted no breakthrough was reached on ending the war.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were preparing to meet in an effort to negotiate a ceasefire, following his own summit with Putin in Alaska. Trump added that the responsibility for securing peace now rests largely with Zelensky.

“Now, it’s really up to President Zelensky to get it done. And I would also say the European nations, they have to get involved a little bit. But it’s up to President Zelensky,” Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity after concluding his talks with Putin. Trump also said he may attend the upcoming meeting, depending on the progress.

The Alaska summit between Trump and Putin ended without a concrete deal on Ukraine, but both leaders described it as productive. Trump emphasized that while “many points” had been agreed upon, the sides had yet to resolve the most critical issues. Putin echoed the sentiment, saying the talks could “pave the way for peace,” though details were scarce.

At the joint press appearance, Trump praised the discussion as “extremely productive,” while Putin flattered his US counterpart, remarking that the war would not have begun had Trump been president in 2022. The Russian leader even suggested hosting the next meeting in Moscow, a proposal delivered with a smile.

Trump, long styling himself as a master negotiator, placed particular pressure on Zelensky, urging him to “make a deal” with Russia despite the uneven balance of power. “Russia is a very big power, and they’re not. They are great soldiers,” Trump remarked, hinting at the challenges Ukraine faces.

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The prospect of direct talks between Putin and Zelensky, potentially mediated by Trump, has raised both hopes and skepticism, with European allies watching closely to see whether diplomacy can achieve what battlefield efforts have not.