Trump says Zelenskyy can end Russia-Ukraine war 'almost immediately'
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has made a bold statement on the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. He said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could end the conflict "almost immediately" if he wanted to. The statement comes ahead of a planned meeting between the two leaders in Washington, DC.
Message
Trump reiterates stance against Ukraine's NATO inclusion
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight." He also stressed that there would be "no getting back Obama given Crimea" and reiterated his stance against Ukraine's inclusion in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Media criticism
Trump slams 'fake news' reports on Alaska meeting
Trump also slammed reports of a "major defeat" in his recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. He called the reports "fake news" and said, "Actually, he would have loved doing the meeting anywhere else but the US and the Fake News knows this. It was a major point of contention!" Despite not reaching a ceasefire agreement, Trump called the Alaska meeting "very productive."
Past encounter
Previous meeting in June ended with tensions
Notably, this isn't the first time Trump and Zelenskyy have met. Their last encounter was in June at a NATO summit. At that time, tensions were high after Zelenskyy's February visit to the White House. The two leaders had a heated exchange with Trump accusing Zelenskyy of "not being ready for peace" and disrespecting the United States in the Oval Office.
Diplomatic gesture
Zelenskyy thanks Trump for Washington invite
Ahead of their meeting, Zelensky thanked Trump for the invitation to Washington. He said he had a long and substantive conversation with the US President. After the Alaska summit, Trump said both Putin and Zelenskyy want him involved in discussions to end the conflict and that he "will be there."