White House: Putin has agreed to meet with Zelensky

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to questions from members of the press. Leavitt began the press briefing with statements regarding the meeting held last week in Alaska between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Emphasizing that President Trump has brought momentum to peace efforts to end a war that should never have started after years of stalemate, Leavitt said, "The bilateral meetings in Alaska were extremely productive, and agreement was reached on many key points between the two leaders. This paved the way for the second phase of talks that took place yesterday at the White House, just 48 hours after the meeting in Anchorage. As you all know, Ukrainian President Zelensky was here, as well as European leaders. They all came here to meet with President Trump, to maintain the momentum, and to work toward a lasting peace."

"PUTIN HAS AGREED TO INITIATE THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PEACE PROCESS"

Noting that President Trump held a phone call with Russian leader Putin yesterday, Leavitt said, "Putin has agreed to initiate the next phase of the peace process, which is to meet with President Zelensky. If necessary, a trilateral meeting will be held following this between President Putin, President Zelensky, and President Trump. As the President has stated, Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Rubio, and Special Envoy Witkoff will be in coordination with Russia and Ukraine to ensure this happens as soon as possible."

Stating that there is light at the end of the tunnel for ending the war in Ukraine through Trump's initiatives, Leavitt said, "Because President Trump is the president of peace. With him, U.S. leadership has returned to the world stage. Trump has restored America's status as the undisputed leader of the free world."

"U.S. TROOPS WILL NOT BE BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN UKRAINE"

When asked during the press briefing about security guarantees to be provided to Ukraine, Leavitt replied, "U.S. troops will not be boots on the ground in Ukraine. However, we can certainly help with coordination and perhaps offer other ways to provide security guarantees to our European allies. The President understands that security guarantees are crucial for a lasting peace. He has instructed his national security team to coordinate with our European friends and to continue discussing these issues in cooperation with Ukraine and Russia."

"TRUMP CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH BOTH LEADERS"

Responding to a question regarding the status of the proposed security guarantees and Russia's stance on the matter, Leavitt said, "The President continues to maintain contact with both leaders."

Leavitt added, "The President has instructed his team to create an acceptable framework for these security guarantees. This framework will help ensure a lasting peace and bring an end to the war."

When asked why President Trump believes an agreement can be reached with Putin, Leavitt stated that while the previous administration refused to talk, President Trump advocates for advancing diplomacy and open dialogue. Leavitt said, "That is why the President has held several phone calls and also held a face-to-face meeting with President Putin last Friday. He has also met with President Zelensky dozens of times and hosted him at the White House. Now he has a better understanding of what both sides want and what they will have to sacrifice. As Trump has always said, to reach a good deal, both sides need to leave the table a little unhappy."

"BOTH LEADERS EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO COME TOGETHER"

Regarding a question about a bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelensky, Leavitt said, "The President has spoken with both leaders about this, and both leaders have expressed a desire to come together. Therefore, our national security team will help both countries make this happen."

Leavitt stated, "There are areas of disagreement in the war that need to be discussed and resolved, and these must be addressed by the two countries. That is why the President wants these two countries to engage in direct diplomacy."

Responding to a question regarding the Kremlin's statement that Putin has not definitively approved a bilateral meeting with Zelensky, Leavitt said, "The U.S. government and the Trump administration are working to ensure that a bilateral meeting between Russia and Ukraine takes place."

News Source: İHA