U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin “went very well” after the pair met for hours one day prior.
The two leaders did not reach a ceasefire agreement following the talks, which Trump had repeatedly emphasized in the lead-up to their meeting.
Instead, Trump wrote on social media: “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’s comments put him at odds with officials in Ukraine and European leaders who are urgently seeking a lasting ceasefire in the ongoing war.
A joint statement from European leaders said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was not invited to the summit, should be present during any future talks, and that “it will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory,” according to NBC News.
