U.S. President Donald Trump said during a Saturday phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO leaders that, in his view, a quick peace deal in the war between Ukraine and Russia is preferable to a ceasefire, journalist Barak Ravid of Axios reported on X.
According to Axios, the U.S. president told his counterparts that Putin does not want a ceasefire and instead prefers “a comprehensive agreement ending the war.”
“My meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin went very well, as did last night’s phone call with President Zelensky and various European leaders, including the highly respected NATO Secretary General,” Trump wrote.
“Everyone agreed that the best way to end the terrible war between Russia and Ukraine is through a direct peace agreement that brings the war to an end, not just a ceasefire agreement, which often does not stand the test of time,” the American president declared.
On Saturday morning (Polish time), Trump held a lengthy phone call with President Zelensky, and afterwards he spoke with NATO leaders following his Friday meeting in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the White House said.
Axios reporter Barak Ravid, citing his source, said Trump spoke with Zelensky and European leaders for more than an hour and a half. Zelensky later announced that he would travel to Washington on Monday.
Trump met with Putin on Friday at the Elmendorf-Richardson military base in Alaska. After the talks, both leaders issued statements but did not take questions from journalists.