WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday hosted French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House as the world marked three years since Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and the start of the war.
Trump said he believed the war could end “soon” as the White House said over the weekend that the talks could see the war end within the next few days or weeks.
“I think we could end it within weeks — if we’re smart,” Trump told reporters. “If we’re not smart, it’ll keep going and we’ll keep losing.”
Following a meeting, the two leaders held a press conference in the East Room. Macron emphasized the need for security guarantees as part of any agreement to stop the war.
“This peace must not mean a surrender of Ukraine,” Macron said. “It must not mean a ceasefire without guarantees. This peace must allow for Ukrainian sovereignty and allow Ukraine to negotiate with other stakeholders regarding the issues that affect it. But is also a country in which we need to shoulder our responsibility so that we ensure security and stability for Ukraine and for the entire region. And for us Europeans this is an existential issue.”
Trump, however, did not go that far. In fact, he barely even commented on the issue. Instead, he said he would meet with Zelenskyy soon, signaling the U.S. and Ukraine were “close” to a deal.
“I will be meeting with President Zelenskyy. In fact, he may come this week or next week to sign the agreement,” Trump said.
Trump also said he would meet with Putin on what he called “economic development deals” in addition to ending the war in Ukraine. When the American president was asked directly if he would call Putin a dictator — which Zelenskyy last week — he declined to do so.
“I don’t use those words lightly,” Trump responded. “I think we’re going to see how it all works out.”
Trump’s embrace of Russia over Ukraine has stunned leaders around the globe. His comments came just hours after the United States joined Russia to vote against a UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The U.S. also voted with Russia again on a US-proposed UN Security Council resolution that did not call the Kremlin the aggressor or acknowledge Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
