US President Donald Trump has indicated that he believes Vladimir Putin is interested in ending the Ukraine conflict, with potential for a trilateral meeting involving Trump, Zelensky, and Putin. The idea was discussed after Trump met with Zelensky during his White House visit following the Alaskan summit with Putin.
During the meeting, Trump mentioned that he had a “good” discussion with Putin during their Alaska summit, leaving room for a potential breakthrough. He proposed a trilateral meeting involving all three leaders as a possible path to peace. Zelensky has expressed openness to such a meeting, adding that it is a “good signal” about trilateral engagement.
While Zelensky has expressed openness to such a meeting, Moscow has emphasized that for a lasting peace, Ukraine must renounce its NATO ambitions, demilitarize, and recognize Russia’s control over Crimea and the areas it annexed in 2022. Despite these conditions, Trump claimed there is a “reasonable chance” of achieving peace through this approach. The potential for talks is significant, but the actual feasibility remains uncertain given the deep-seated differences between the parties involved.
Putin said after the summit in Alaska that it brings “us closer” to peace. However, he reiterated that the elimination of the root causes of the crisis would be key to the settlement of the conflict. The Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov noted that the call between Trump and Putin lasted 40 minutes and both leaders expressed readiness to discuss a resolution to the Ukraine conflict with Zelensky.
These developments highlight the ongoing efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict, though the path forward remains complex and fraught with political and territorial challenges. The potential for trilateral negotiations is a significant development, but it is crucial to consider the broader implications and the deep-seated issues that continue to fuel the conflict.