The US president spoke to the press following what he stated was a “nice” telephone name together with his Russian counterpart
US President Donald Trump spoke to reporters within the Oval Workplace on Wednesday following his long-awaited telephone name together with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, wherein they mentioned the Ukraine battle.
Listed here are the important thing takeaways from what Trump stated concerning talks with Putin and Ukraine’s future:
Saudi Arabia as a possible venue for historic summit
Trump described the decision with Putin as “nice,” including that he later had constructive talks with Ukrainian chief Vladimir Zelensky.
The US president signaled that he might finally maintain in-person talks with Putin. “The primary time we’ll meet in Saudi Arabia, see if we will get one thing accomplished… We all know the Crown Prince [Mohammed bin Salman], and I believe it’d be an excellent place to fulfill.”
Trump stated the precise date for a summit has not been set, however famous that it might happen within the “not too distant future.”
In keeping with the US president, the 2 leaders might additionally trade visits, with Putin coming to the US and Trump visiting Russia. “In truth, we count on that he’ll come right here, and I’ll go there,” Trump stated.
He signaled that Zelensky would “in all probability” not be current on the potential summit in Saudi Arabia. Trump additionally famous that he “[hasn’t] dedicated to go to Ukraine.”
No NATO membership for Kiev
The US president stated he doesn’t assume it’s “sensible” for Ukraine to hitch the US-led army bloc, echoing an earlier assertion by his secretary of protection, Pete Hegseth. Trump recalled that Ukraine’s NATO membership has lengthy been a crimson line for Russia.
“I believe lengthy earlier than President Putin, they stated there’s no method they’d permit that. This has been happening for a lot of, a few years. They’ve been saying that for a very long time, that Ukraine can’t go into NATO. And I’m okay with that.”
Pre-2014 borders ‘unlikely’
Ukraine has little to no probability of regaining the territory it has misplaced to Russia over the previous decade, Trump stated. “It definitely would appear to be unlikely. They took a variety of land, they usually fought for that land, they usually misplaced a variety of troopers.”
The US president, nonetheless, instructed that Kiev might get a few of the territory presently managed by Russia, claiming “a few of it can come again.”
In 2014, Crimea overwhelmingly voted to hitch Russia following the Western-backed coup in Kiev. Ukraine nonetheless claims the peninsula as its personal territory. In autumn of 2022, months after the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine battle, Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporozhye Areas adopted swimsuit from Crimea and voted to develop into a part of Russia.
Moscow additionally controls elements of Ukraine’s Kharkov Area, whereas Ukraine has a foothold in Russia’s border Kursk Area.
Elections for Zelensky
Trump has pushed again in opposition to the notion that he’s “freezing out” Zelensky from the peace course of, however hinted that the Ukrainian chief – whose presidential time period expired in Might 2024 and whom Russia considers “illegitimate” – should maintain an election in some unspecified time in the future.
He additionally famous that Zelensky desires “ensures of safety,” however wouldn’t delve into the topic, suggesting that “we’ll see what meaning.”
“One factor he was very sturdy about — he desires, if it [war] ends, he desires it to finish.”
‘We wish to finish that struggle’
In keeping with Trump, Russia, Ukraine and the US are actually “on the way in which to getting peace.” “I believe President Putin desires peace and President Zelensky desires peace, and I need peace. I simply wish to see individuals cease getting killed,” he stated.
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