Trump announces a scheduled discussion between Putin and Zelenskyy aimed at terminating the ongoing conflict

In a significant gathering, leaders from various nations met in the Oval Office of the White House on Monday to discuss the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The picture of the meeting included British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

The main topic of discussion was finding a resolution to the war. Trump announced arrangements for a meeting between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but did not provide details on when the talks would take place. Trump's position on the war in Ukraine has shifted after meeting with Putin.

Zelenskyy generously thanked Trump for his efforts to stop the war. However, French President Macron also supported the idea of a ceasefire to stop the killings. German Chancellor Merz urged Trump to push for a ceasefire before serious negotiations with Russia.

Trump is now advocating against a ceasefire and pushing for a full peace agreement. The U.S. would assist by selling weapons to Ukraine and other allies in Europe, rather than provide direct aid. Trump said "there'll be a lot of help when it comes to security" for Ukraine, but did not specify whether U.S. troops would be involved in security agreements.

The European leaders present during the meeting, including the French and German Presidents as well as the British Prime Minister, stressed the importance of collective action. None of the European leaders made any mention of redrawing territorial lines between Ukraine and Russia.

The talks followed last week's summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Putin's preferred position is a full peace agreement. Trump did not provide details on a potential meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin. Monday's meeting marked Zelenskyy's first trip back to the Oval Office since a contentious meeting in February.

The European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte were also present at the talks. European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the president of Finland, Alexander Stubb, joined Zelenskyy in these talks.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict and a pledge to continue discussions to achieve this goal. The exact details of the next steps will be announced in due course.

Trump announces a scheduled discussion between Putin and Zelenskyy aimed at terminating the ongoing conflict