Trump states he needs to “intervene” to bring Zelensky, Putin together

(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump suggested that a potential meeting between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky could happen, though he emphasized it would be difficult because “they hate each other.” He added that he might need to personally “intervene” to make such a meeting possible.

Trump, who held a summit with Putin in Alaska last month, had earlier promised to work toward arranging direct talks between the two leaders. Speaking to reporters during a Sunday visit to a memorial for activist Charlie Kirk, he said the hostility between Putin and Zelensky was “unfathomable,” and that he would likely “have to do all the talking.”

The president also claimed to have “stopped seven wars,” while admitting he initially assumed the Ukraine conflict would “be an easy one for me, but this has turned out to be tough.” Although no official plans for a Putin-Zelensky summit exist, Trump hinted discussions could happen “relatively soon,” adding, “We’re going to get it worked out one way or the other. So I’m going to have to get involved.”

Putin has previously stated he is open in principle to meeting Zelensky, even suggesting Kiev’s leader could travel to Moscow for talks. Ukrainian officials rejected the idea, saying they would not consider “deliberately unacceptable proposals.” Putin has also questioned whether negotiations would be “meaningful,” pointing out that Zelensky’s presidential term expired in May and elections have been suspended under martial law.

According to the Russian president, resolving disputes would be “practically impossible” because of “legal and technical difficulties” linked to contested territories, including Crimea and other regions that voted to join Russia in referendums held in 2014 and 2022.

Moscow has repeatedly asserted that it is prepared for negotiations if the “reality on the ground” is acknowledged. Russian officials have also said they would accept an immediate ceasefire if Ukraine pulled back its forces from newly integrated regions or stopped mobilization and Western weapons deliveries.

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