Donald Trump Hopes for Zelensky’s Flexibility and Putin’s Cooperation to End the War in Ukraine
American President Donald Trump expressed his hope that Russian President Vladimir Putin would approach his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a positive manner, emphasizing the need for the latter to show “some flexibility.”
In an interview with Fox News, Trump confirmed that he would not participate in the initial bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelensky to allow for direct discussions between the two sides, pointing out that his main goal is to end the war in Ukraine without incurring American casualties on the ground.
He noted that Russia is a powerful military state, and although Ukraine has received substantial military and financial support, it faces a much stronger adversary. Trump underscored the importance of providing security guarantees to Ukraine without allowing it to join NATO.
Trump added that European leaders, including those from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, have shown a willingness to support Ukraine, either militarily or through potential American guarantees, indicating a “warmth” in his relations with Putin, who welcomed recent phone calls.
He also criticized previous administrations for their misunderstanding of the crisis, stressing that the Ukrainian crisis has proven the necessity of electing American leadership capable of preventing the recurrence of such conflicts.
