EVIAN, France, June 16, (V7N) – US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that "Russia should make a deal" to end its war against Ukraine, after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the G7 summit in France. Trump said he "had a meeting" with Zelensky at the summit in the spa town of Evian-les-Bains, with more talks planned later in the day as the G7 seeks to increase pressure on Moscow to end more than four years of fighting.
Trump pointed to the high casualties on both sides in the conflict, a toll he described as "ridiculous." He added, "Admit the whole thing is ridiculous. So, yeah, I'm going to do whatever I can." The US president's remarks signaled continued American engagement in pushing for a diplomatic resolution to the war.
Zelensky said on Monday he had suggested to Trump that he could meet Putin in the United States, arguing that the Kremlin strongman could find such an offer "harder to refuse" than a previous offer for talks at the G7. The proposal reflects Ukraine's efforts to find creative diplomatic pathways to end the conflict.
The G7 summit in France has been dominated by discussions on the Ukraine war, the Middle East peace deal, and global economic issues. Leaders from the world's major industrialized nations are coordinating their positions on increasing pressure on Russia while supporting Ukraine's defensive efforts.
Trump's comments come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II. While previous ceasefire initiatives have failed, the renewed push at the G7 level suggests international momentum for a negotiated settlement may be building, even as fighting continues on the ground in Ukraine.
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