US President Donald Trump has called for an immediate ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to make peace or lose American support. The statement comes after a heated exchange of words between the two leaders over the path to a Ukraine-Russia truce, during a meeting at the White House in Washington last night.
The war of words also led to the collapse of the talks between the US and Ukraine to sign a deal on rare earth minerals and security guarantees as part of broader negotiations on a possible truce in Ukraine’s years-long war with Russia Talking to reporters after the verbal clash, President Trump said, he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready for a peace deal. Earlier, in a fiery public confrontation in presence of international media, President Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused President Zelensky of risking millions of lives and warning that his actions might lead to World War three.
Ukraine President Zelensky told President Trump that there should be no compromise with President Putin in negotiating a resolution to the war. Later, Mr Zelenskyy abruptly departed the White House without signing the crucial minerals agreement with the US. A scheduled joint news conference of the two leaders was also cancelled after the meeting. In a social media post after the meeting, President Trump said, President Zelensky can come back to the White House when he is ready for peace. President Zelensky in a social media post after the meeting, said that Ukraine needs just and lasting peace and they are working exactly for that. Meanwhile, there were swift and widespread messages of solidarity and support for Ukraine from European leaders in the wake of the contentious White House meeting between American and Ukrainan leaders.
European Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen urged Ukrainians to be strong, brave and fearless. Similar messages also came from leaders of France, Spain, Poland in Sweden, Norway, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Lithuania. On the other hand, Russia and it allies extended full support to US President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance on the issue. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it was a miracle that Trump and Vice-President JD Vance managed to restrain themselves against the Ukrainian leader. Similar messages of support also came from Hungary.
