Is Putin-Zelensky-Trump Meeting To End Ukraine War Still On? White House Shares Fresh Update

(MENAFN- Live Mint) With French President Emmanuel Macron warned United States President Donald Trump risked being "played" by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the White House on Friday said that Trump is still working on a Russia-Ukraine peace summit , reported AFP.

"President Trump and his national security team continue to engage with Russian and Ukrainian officials towards a bilateral meeting to stop the killing and end the war," AFP quoted a White House official as saying.

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"As many world leaders have stated, this war would have never happened if President Trump was in office. It is not in the national interest to further negotiate these issues publicly," the official added.

Earlier on Friday, the French President expressed hope that a two-way meeting would take place, however, he warned if the Russian did not meet a Monday deadline to agree to the talks "it will show again President Putin has played President Trump."

Donald Trump said he was setting up bilateral talks between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders , following he met Putin in Alaska earlier this month and then hosting Zelensky and European leaders at the White House last week.

Also Read | US tells UN: Russian strikes on Ukraine cast doubt on its desire for peace

Russia has since played down the likelihood of such a meeting.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller dismissed the suggestion that Trump had been fooled by Putin.

When asked to reply to French President Emmanuel Macron's comments, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said, "Such an absurd question."

"No president in history has done more to advance the cause of peace," Miller said. "He's working steadfastly to end the killing, and that's something that everybody in the world should celebrate."

Trump 'not happy':

The White House said on Thursday that President Donald Trump was "not happy" with Russian strikes in Ukraine , but they also did not come as a surprise.

Also Read | Ukrainian officials to meet Trump's envoy to revive Russia peace talks

“He was not happy about this news, but he was also not surprised,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a media briefing.

With agency inputs.

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