Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington DC on Sunday (local time) to meet US President Donald Trump, saying he desires to end the war with Russia “quickly and reliably.”
The scheduled meeting between the two leaders comes days after Trump met Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during a high-stakes summit in Alaska, to discuss a peace agreement to end the Ukraine crisis.
Taking to X, Zelensky said, “I have already arrived in Washington, tomorrow I am meeting with President Trump. Tomorrow we are also speaking with European leaders. I am grateful to @POTUS for the invitation. We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably. And peace must be lasting. Not like it was years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of our East—part of Donbas—and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack. Or when Ukraine was given so called “security guarantees” in 1994, but they didn’t work.”
“Of course, Crimea should not have been given up then, just as Ukrainians did not give up Kyiv, Odesa, or Kharkiv after 2022. Ukrainians are fighting for their land, for their independence. Now, our soldiers have successes in Donetsk and Sumy regions. I am confident that we will defend Ukraine, effectively guarantee security, and that our people will always be grateful to President Trump, everyone in America, and every partner and ally for their support and invaluable assistance. Russia must end this war, which it itself started. And I hope that our joint strength with America, with our European friends, will force Russia into a real peace. Thank you!” he added.
Trump’s bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will take place at 1.15 pm (local time) (1715 GMT) (10.45 pm IST) on Monday at the White House, Reuters reported, quoting a White House press guidance issued on Sunday
Trump will later participate in a multilateral meeting with European leaders visiting Washington at 3 pm (local time)
European leaders will join the Ukrainian President in Washington on Monday to work together on the path toward peace talks, particularly on preventing any renewed Russian aggression.
On that front, the Trump administration has indicated it is now prepared to offer Ukraine security guarantees, a shift that Ukrainian and European leaders welcomed on Sunday.
According to a European government source quoted by AFP news agency, Zelensky is expected to first hold a private meeting with President Trump before being joined by European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.
The Washington meeting comes shortly after President Trump’s summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where no ceasefire or breakthrough was announced despite what Trump described as an “extremely productive” discussion with “many points” agreed.
“We are not there yet, but we have made progress. There is no deal until there’s a deal,” Trump said, without giving details.
Back to Oval Office after stormy showdown
Zelensky will return to the Oval Office on Monday for the first time since a spectacularly tense clash with President Donald Trump that abruptly ended their talks and cast doubt over future US backing.
During their February 28 meeting, Trump and Vice President JD Vance sharply criticised Zelensky live on television, accusing him of being ungrateful for American aid since Russia’s invasion three years ago, and urging swift negotiations to end the war.
The bitter exchange marked a turning point in relations between Kyiv and Washington, which had been warmer under former president Joe Biden, and fuelled concerns that Trump might cut off military support to Ukraine.
The confrontation escalated at the conclusion of an extended press Q&A session.
Vance accused Zelensky of being “disrespectful” and showing a lack of gratitude for Trump’s diplomatic initiatives, after the Ukrainian leader voiced doubt that Russian President Vladimir Putin could be trusted given his repeated breaches of past agreements.
As Zelensky defended his stance in his non-native English, Trump became incensed when the Ukrainian leader suggested that while the United States was currently distant from the conflict, “you will feel it in the future” if Putin were appeased.
(With inputs from agencies)
