The final time Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was inside the Oval Office, he was berated by his US hosts, denied a deliberate luncheon and abruptly requested to depart the West Wing.
“He can come again when he’s prepared for peace,” President Donald Trump stated after the assembly fell aside.
Six months later, Zelensky is returning to the White Home on Monday to study extra particulars of Trump’s Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin — and to study what, precisely, the US president envisions peace trying like in Ukraine.
Through the assembly in February, Trump instructed Zelensky: “You don’t have the playing cards.”
After Trump’s summit with Putin in Alaska, it remained unclear how the deck had been reshuffled.
Preliminary indications haven’t been acquired significantly nicely, both by the Ukrainians or by European officers briefed on the contents of the practically three-hour summit in Anchorage. Trump stated afterward he was abandoning his hope for a direct ceasefire, pushing as an alternative for a full peace settlement with out first insisting Russia’s bombardments finish.
That’s the reverse stance of European leaders and Zelensky, who say Ukraine can’t be made to barter its future whereas below fixed assault from Moscow.
So, too, has Trump appeared receptive to Putin’s plan for main land concessions by the Ukrainians as a situation for ending the battle. Trump instructed European officers on the telephone as he was arriving again in Washington that Putin had not deserted his demand for all the japanese Donbas area, suggesting the battle may very well be resolved shortly if Zelensky agreed to provide it up.
Trump’s openness to US safety ensures for Ukraine as soon as the battle ends has given some European officers hope, however the specifics of what he’s prepared to supply stay unknown.
All of it will make for consequential discussions contained in the Oval Workplace on Monday, as Trump presses for an finish to a battle he as soon as promised to resolve inside a day of taking workplace.
For the reason that fracas in February, Trump and Zelensky have gone a great distance towards repairing their relationship. European leaders, together with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, have offered Zelensky pointers in tips on how to method Trump, suggesting a much less combative perspective and extra overt demonstrations of gratitude for US assist.
Zelensky was certain to notice his gratitude for the invitation to Washington, writing Saturday on X, “On Monday, I’ll meet with President Trump in Washington, D.C., to debate all the particulars concerning ending the killing and the battle. I’m grateful for the invitation.”
European leaders together with Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finland President Alexander Stubb and European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen are all anticipated to hitch the talks between Trump and Zelensky, who has the backing of Europe.
NATO Secretary Basic Mark Rutte might additionally journey to Washington for the assembly, one official stated.
The optics of an Oval Workplace invitation simply days after the summit with Putin in Alaska are vital. Whereas Putin was handled to a showy show of welcome in Anchorage, he was not pictured alongside the US president within the Oval Workplace — a room he hasn’t been in since 2005.
Trump clapped when Putin walked down the tarmac and joined the US president inside his armored limo — a uncommon sight for any overseas chief, not to mention an adversary. Trump described the talks as “heat,” and the imagery from the day underscored Putin’s return to the diplomatic fold after being frozen out following his invasion of Ukraine.
Nonetheless, he was additionally greeted by a present of drive: a B-2 bomber flyover and 4 F-22 Raptors parked alongside Air Pressure One, the identical planes used to intercept Russian plane after they intrude in American airspace.
Monday will likely be Zelensky’s first time returning to the Oval Workplace since Trump stated he was “playing with World Struggle III” and Vice President JD Vance accused the Ukrainian chief of a scarcity of gratitude, asking him, “Have you ever stated thanks as soon as?” A supply acquainted stated Vance may even attend Monday’s assembly.
However Trump and Zelensky have met face-to-face twice since then, and their relationship has drastically improved.
In April, Trump met briefly with Zelensky within the Vatican earlier than Pope Francis’ funeral and in June on the sidelines of the NATO summit within the Netherlands.
“ we had some tough instances,” Trump stated after his assembly with Zelensky at NATO. “He couldn’t have been nicer.”
“I took from the assembly that he’d wish to see it finish,” Trump added.
The Vatican assembly was an intimate one, with Zelensky and Trump huddled carefully throughout from one another in St. Peter’s Basilica beneath a large portray of Jesus’ baptism.
“I consider that we had the perfect dialog with President Trump of all those who have taken place earlier than,” Zelensky told reporters after the assembly.
After the assembly, Trump threatened potential new sanctions on Russia and questioned whether or not Putin was severe about peace or “tapping” him alongside.
However a number of months later, he has stopped in need of making use of the brand new sanctions, and plenty of Western officers consider Putin remains to be stringing alongside the president as he performs for time to perform his battle goals.
In Could, after Putin blew off a chance to satisfy with Zelensky in Istanbul, sending a lower-level delegation as an alternative, Trump instructed reporters, “Look, nothing’s going to occur till Putin and I get collectively, OK?”
Trump has cleared that hurdle, however attaining a long-lasting peace stays elusive.
This story has been up to date with extra data.
CNN’s Sophie Tanno and Sebastian Shukla contributed to this report.
