US President Donald Trump spoke to journalists in the Oval Office, discussing his recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the future of Ukraine.
Trump described the conversation as “great” and said he later had constructive talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He hinted that he may hold personal talks with Putin, stating, “We know the Crown Prince [Mohammed bin Salman] and I think that would be a very good place for a meeting.”
The US President mentioned that the exact date for a potential summit has not been set, but it could happen in the “not too distant future.” He also suggested that the two leaders could exchange visits, with Putin visiting the US and Trump visiting Russia, saying, “We even expect him to come here and me to go there.”
Trump stated that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy would likely not be present at a potential summit in Saudi Arabia and that he is not obligated to visit Ukraine.
The US President reiterated his stance that a NATO membership for Ukraine is “not practical” citing the long-standing red line for Russia on this issue.
Trump also expressed doubt that Ukraine could regain the territory it lost to Russia in the past decade, saying, “It looks very unlikely.” However, he hinted that Ukraine might regain some of the lost territory, stating, “A part of that will come back.”
In the article, the US President also mentioned the possibility of new elections for Zelenskyy, the illegitimacy of the Russian-backed separatist regions and the desire to end the war.