During a group photo with European leaders, US President Donald Trump pointed to a photo taken during an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, commenting that if he were not alive, things would be completely different. At the White House, Trump received Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European leaders as part of a series of intensive diplomatic meetings aimed at finding a solution to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Trump described the ongoing war as one of the toughest conflicts the world has seen since World War II, expressing the significant challenges facing both sides. He expressed optimism about the chances of reaching a peaceful settlement, assuring European leaders that he expects the discussions to yield successful results that will advance peace efforts.

The US president emphasized that the main goal is to end the fighting between Russia and Ukraine, noting that the recent Alaska summit increased his confidence in the possibility of finding a solution. Trump also announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to provide security guarantees to Ukraine, explaining that European countries would be more responsible for implementing these guarantees. At the end of his remarks, Trump indicated arrangements for a soon-to-be-held trilateral summit involving him, Putin, and Zelensky, stressing that any decision regarding land exchange would be in Zelensky’s hands and agreed upon with Putin.