Trump Told Zelenskyy And Allies He Won't Discuss Territory Divisions With Putin This Week, Sources Say

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump told European leaders during a telephone connected Wednesday that he does not intend to talk immoderate imaginable divisions of territory erstwhile he meets pinch Russian President Vladimir Putin successful Alaska this week, according to 2 European officials and 3 different group briefed connected nan call.

Trump said connected nan call, which besides included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, that he is going into nan gathering pinch Putin pinch nan extremity of securing a ceasefire successful Ukraine, those sources said.

Trump and European leaders agreed that a ceasefire successful Ukraine has to beryllium implemented earlier bid negotiations tin begin, nan European officials and 2 different group briefed connected nan telephone said. Some of nan European leaders were near pinch nan belief from nan telephone that Trump is not optimistic astir nan results of his gathering pinch Putin, they added.

The telephone connected Wednesday took spot conscionable days up of Trump’s gathering pinch Putin, which is planned for Friday. European and Ukrainian officials person been tense astir nan president’s gathering pinch nan Russian leader since he announced it past week. Among their concerns is that Trump and Putin mightiness work together to nan parameters of a bid deal, including territorial divisions, and past effort to unit Ukraine to work together to it. Trump’s comments past week that location would "be immoderate onshore swapping” betwixt Russia and Ukraine, successful particular, put Zelenskyy and European leaders connected edge.

But nan 2 European officials and 3 different group briefed connected Wednesday’s telephone said each nan leaders agreed that Ukraine must beryllium included successful negotiations and should beryllium nan 1 to determine what territorial concessions it mightiness beryllium consenting to make. They besides said nan leaders were agreed successful their belief that if Putin does not work together to a ceasefire, Trump will apt levy caller sanctions connected Russia.

Two further group acquainted pinch Wednesday’s telephone said European leaders near emotion affirmative astir Trump’s plans for his gathering pinch Putin. One of them said achieving a ceasefire is expected to beryllium nan privilege for Trump successful nan meeting. The different personification expressed assurance that Ukrainian territory would not beryllium negotiated without Ukraine.

The White House did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

Trump said Wednesday aft nan telephone was “very good” and suggested different gathering involving Zelenskyy could quickly travel his sit-down pinch Putin.

“There’s a very bully chance that we’re going to person a 2nd meeting, which will beryllium much productive than nan first, because nan first is I’m going to find retired wherever we are and what we’re doing,” Trump told reporters. “I would for illustration to do it almost immediately, and we’ll person a speedy 2nd gathering betwixt President Putin and President Zelenskyy and myself, if they’d for illustration to person maine there.”

The president besides said Russia will look “severe consequences” if Putin doesn’t work together to extremity nan war.

Vice President JD Vance, who besides participated successful Wednesday’s call, said afterward during remarks to U.S. troops astatine RAF Fairford successful nan U.K. that “one of our astir important shared information goals successful Europe” is ending nan warfare successful Ukraine.