The United States Guarantees Ukraine's Security In Peace Deal With Russia

JAKARTA - President Donald Trump told President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday the United States would help ensure Ukraine's security in any deal to end the war with Russia there, although it was not clear what assistance would be provided.

President Trump made the promise at an extraordinary summit at the White House, where he hosted President Zelensky and a number of European ally leaders, after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week in Alaska.

Those accompanying President Zelensky were European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, British PM, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

However, the peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine appears to be far away.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Room of the White House, President Trump said he liked the concept of a ceasefire, but both sides could seek a peace agreement while fighting continued.

"I hope they can stop, I want them to stop," he said.

"But strategically, it could harm one party," he said.

Neither President Trump nor President Zelensky said they hoped Monday's meeting would eventually result in three-way negotiations with President Putin. The Kremlin has not publicly approved such a meeting, and it remains to be seen whether President Putin is ready to sit down with Zelenskiy or make a meaningful concession.

In a social media post on Monday evening, President Trump said he had contacted President Putin and began arranging his meeting with President Zelensky, which will be attended by a trilateral summit between the three presidents.

Sources from the European delegation said President Trump had informed European leaders President Putin suggested that he meet President Zelensky in person.

President Trump and President Zelensky spoke privately before joining other European leaders for more than two hours of multilateral negotiations.

President Zelensky described his direct talks with President Trump as "very good" and said they discussed Ukraine's need for US security guarantees.

"This is very important, that the United States is giving a strong signal and ready for security guarantees," he said.

President Trump said European countries would be "the first line of defense because they were there, but we will help them."

President Trump himself has urged that Europe's deadliest war in 80 years be ended soon. The war has killed or injured more than one million people from both sides, including thousands of civilians mostly from Ukraine, according to analysts, and destroyed most of the country's territory.