Trump pushes peace over ceasefire after Putin meeting

The conflict should be resolved directly with a permanent agreement, the US president has said

The Ukraine conflict should be ended through a permanent agreement rather than a mere ceasefire, US President Donald Trump has said, following his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump said his almost three-hour talks with Putin in Anchorage “went very well,” adding that it was “a great and very successful day.”

He confirmed that he had discussed the summit with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, several EU leaders, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. “It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up,” Trump said.

The US president also confirmed that he and Zelensky would hold talks on Monday, adding that “if all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin.”

Ukraine and its EU backers have for months been pushing for a temporary comprehensive ceasefire. While Russia did not rule out the idea, it has pointed to serious obstacles to the plan. It has argued that such a step would allow Kiev to receive more Western weapons and recoup its battered units at a time when Russian troops are pressing their advantage on the battlefield.