President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took questions at the White House on Monday in the same setting as their disastrous blowup in February, but with a much friendlier tone.
Why it matters: While it was all smiles for the camera, it was a tense few days in the lead-up to Monday’s meeting, with Trump questioning Zelensky’s willingness to make peace and Ukrainian officials worrying that Russian President Vladimir Putin manipulated Trump during their summit in Alaska.
However, Trump’s endorsement of strong security guarantees for Ukraine under any peace deal was very welcome news for Kyiv.
Driving the news: Asked if the U.S. was prepared to send troops to guarantee Ukraine’s security after the war, Trump said that European countries would form the “first line of defense” but “we’ll be involved.”
Trump did not offer any more details beyond saying the U.S. will do its part to ensure any peace deal endures for the long term. “We will give them very good protection, very good security. That’s part of it,” Trump said.
Trump reiterated his desire for a trilateral summit involving Putin and Zelensky after this meeting. But Putin has yet to endorse that idea, and Trump said it’s unclear whether the meeting will happen.
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Author: Dillon B
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