U.S. President Donald Trump called for an agreement on a ceasefire in the Ukraine war, saying it depends on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky following his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump emphasized in an exclusive interview with Fox News right after the U.S.-Russia summit held in Anchorage, Alaska, that "it's up to Zelensky to finalize the agreement," stating, "Ukraine must agree to the terms of the ceasefire that both sides discussed." The main issue of the summit that day was ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, which has been ongoing for 3 years and 6 months, but the two leaders did not reach an agreement on it.
When asked what advice he would give to Zelensky, Trump responded, "It's to reach an agreement." Prior to the U.S.-Russia summit, Trump warned of "serious consequences" if Russia does not comply, but after the summit, he took a cautious stance on sanctions, including imposing tariffs on major trading partners of Russia. Trump noted, "Because of what happened today, we don't need to think about that right now," adding, "I could review it in 2 to 3 weeks, but not at this moment."
He also mentioned the possibility of a follow-up meeting involving himself, Zelensky, and Putin, asserting that "there is a considerable chance of reaching an agreement." This has led to speculation that instead of increasing pressure on Russia, there is a focus on urging Ukraine to soften its existing position.
Trump rated the meeting as "a perfect 10 out of 10" and remarked, "The conversation with President Putin was warm."