Trump says Putin and Zelensky are ready for a deal on Ukraine.
The US president stated that there has been significant progress in the discussions and expressed optimism when comparing his approach to that of European leaders.
247 - US President Donald Trump said on Thursday (3) that both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky are willing to reach an agreement to end the conflict in Eastern Europe. The statements were made aboard Air Force One, during a trip from Washington to Miami, and were originally reported by the Russian agency TASS.
"He's ready to make a deal," Trump said of Zelensky. Then he added, "And I think President Putin is ready to make a deal."
During a brief conversation with journalists, Trump expressed confidence in his ability to broker a resolution to the war that has already lasted more than three years. "Europe has not been successful in dealing with President Putin, but I think I will be successful," declared the US president, drawing a contrast between his diplomatic efforts and the actions of European leaders.
Trump also stated that "much progress has been made" in talks aimed at a negotiated solution to the war. According to him, there was recently a phone conversation with Zelensky, although the US president did not clarify whether he was referring to the call made on March 19 or a subsequent contact.
Trump's remarks mark yet another episode of his direct involvement in international diplomatic affairs, delivered with a characteristically self-assured tone. His mention of both sides' willingness to reach a possible agreement reignites discussions about the US role as a mediator in the conflict and reinforces Trump's intention to play a leading role in a potential negotiated resolution.
So far, neither the Kremlin nor the Ukrainian government have officially commented on the US president's statements.
The TASS news agency, which covered the statement directly, noted that this is not the first time Trump has expressed optimism about the possibility of ending the conflict. He had previously suggested that a resolution could be reached quickly under his leadership, although concrete details about his strategy remain scarce.
