There was no sign of a ceasefire from Russia – or the “severe consequences” Trump promised if Putin failed to agree one – and he has agreed with another long-held Kremlin position
Donald Trump parroted Kremlin talking points – after Vladimir Putin ran rings around him at his half-baked Alaska summit.
The US President invited Volodymyr Zelensky to what could be a fiery meeting in Washington on Monday.
But there was no sign of a ceasefire from Russia – or the “severe consequences” Trump promised if Putin failed to agree one.
Instead, he’s leaned closer to the ruthless Russian dictator’s position – abandoning calls for a ceasefire in favour of Russia and Ukraine working towards a final peace deal, one of Putin’s demands.
It comes after Trump looked tired as he returned to Washington after the summit.
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Meanwhile Putin shows no signs he was willing to give up the parts of Ukraine he’s invaded.
And by literally rolling out the red carpet for him, greeting him warmly and praising him lavishly, Trump gave Putin the main thing he really wanted from the summit – to look like a world leader, rather than an international pariah.
But, in a change of attitude that could provide some small hope for European leaders, Trump appeared open to US involvement in defending Ukraine from further Russian incursions.
In a statement following a call with Trump, Zelensky and European allies, Keir Starmer said: “I welcome the openness of the United States, alongside Europe, to provide robust security guarantees to Ukraine as part of any deal.
“This is important progress and will be crucial in deterring Putin from coming back for more.”
And Zelensky wrote on X: “In my conversation with President Trump, I said that sanctions should be strengthened if there is no trilateral meeting or if Russia tries to evade an honest end to the war.
“Sanctions are an effective tool. Security must be guaranteed reliably and in the long term, with the involvement of both Europe and the U.S.
“All issues important to Ukraine must be discussed with Ukraine’s participation, and no issue, particularly territorial ones, can be decided without Ukraine.”
Mr Starmer praised Trump’s efforts, saying they have “have brought us closer than ever before to ending Russia ’s illegal war in Ukraine.
“His leadership in pursuit of an end to the killing should be commended.”
But he added: “While progress has been made, the next step must be further talks involving President Zelenskyy. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without him.”
And in a joint statement with leaders from key Nato allies including France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Finland, Sir Keir also said the coalition of the willing is “ready to play an active role”.
The leaders added: “No limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or on its co-operation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine’s pathway to EU and Nato.”
Trump, meanwhile, was effusive in his praise for Putin, who is wanted for war crimes in most Western democracies.
Trump said the meeting with Putin “went very well, as did a late night phone call with President Zelensky of Ukraine and various European leaders, including the highly respected Secretary General of NATO.”
He went on: “It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.”
Russia has consistently rejected the idea of a ceasefire, insisting Putin would only agree to a final treaty to end the conflict.
Writing for the Mirror, Alastair Campbell said Putin had “run rings” around Trump.
And ahead of Monday’s Oval Office meeting, he suggested Zelensky should insist on “no media engagement” until after the talks have concluded.
“[Zelensky] should speak Ukrainian so he has time to think things through, and slow things down via the interpretation, if Trump repeats the bullying exercise of their last encounter in the Oval Office,” Mr Campbell wrote.
“Above all, with European leaders echoing his view publicly and privately, he should explain yet again why Putin is not to be trusted and why Trump, if he is to regain any of the considerable reserves of credibility he lost on Friday, needs to get real about it.”
At a press conference following the talks, Putin repeated his position that it is “sincerely interested in putting an end” to the war in Ukraine, but for that to happen, “all the root causes of the crisis … must be eliminated.”
Putin has frequently used this language – describing the invasion as satisfying Russia’s “legitimate concerns” – to justify the war, and his belief that Ukraine is not a real country, merely Russian territory run by “Nazis” that he’s entitled to take back by force.