UNS: United States President Donald Trump said he wanted to see a ceasefire “today” as he headed to Alaska on Friday for a meeting with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was not invited to the talks, and his European allies fear Trump might sell out Ukraine by essentially freezing the conflict and recognising — if only informally — Russian control over one fifth of Ukraine.
Trump sought to assuage such concerns as he boarded Air Force One, saying he would let Ukraine decide on any possible territorial swaps. “I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine, I’m here to get them to a table,” he said.
Asked what would make the meeting a success, he told reporters: “I want to see a ceasefire rapidly… I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today… I want the killing to stop.”
The US and Russian presidents are due to meet at a Cold War-era air force base in Alaska’s largest city at around 11am (12am PKT) for their first face-to-face talks since Trump returned to the White House.
Trump hopes a truce in the 3-1/2-year-old war will bolster his credentials as a global peacemaker worthy of the Nobel Peace summit .
