Ukraine’s president received a warmer Oval Office welcome than last time but Trump rules out need for ceasefire
Donald Trump has welcomed Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House but appeared to rule out arranging a ceasefire as part of plans to try to end the country’s war with Russia.
The US president’s meeting with Zelenskyy on Monday went more smoothly than their first encounter in the Oval Office six months ago, when the Ukrainian leader was ambushed and berated by Trump and Vice-President JD Vance.
This time, doubtless to the relief of European leaders gathered at the White House, Zelenskyy gave Trump effusive thanks for the invitation and the pair even shared good-humoured banter while Vance remained silent.
But the US president, who only last week warned Russia of “very severe consequences” if President Vladimir Putin failed to agree to a ceasefire at their summit in Alaska, made clear that he had reversed his position.
