Trump met Putin's envoy at the White House; gave no details on terms or participants

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US President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office on Thursday (local time). [EPA]
US President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office on Thursday (local time). [EPA]

US President Donald Trump said the Russia-Ukraine war will end soon and suggested a sweeping agreement could emerge that goes beyond Ukraine to encompass all of Europe. The remarks came immediately after Trump met with a special envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, signaling that Ukraine peace negotiations could be linked to broader European security issues.

According to Reuters and other outlets, Trump disclosed Thursday (local time) that he had met at the White House with Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's special envoy, and made the comments to reporters afterward.

Dmitriev visited the White House that day for a separate meeting with Trump and also attended an event hosted by first lady Melania Trump.

Trump did not reveal the specifics of his conversation with Dmitriev. He said, however, that "there will be a big deal" and that it "will include a lot more than Ukraine."

"You could say all of Europe could be included," Trump added. "It will be a big, beautiful deal and everyone will be happy."

Trump said the war, which he said claims 25,000 lives a month, must end, adding, "I think this war is going to end very soon."

The remarks were widely interpreted as suggesting that any Ukraine peace deal could extend beyond the bilateral dispute between Kyiv and Moscow to encompass European security as a whole.

Trump offered no details, however, on the substance of any agreement, the countries that would be involved, or the current state of negotiations.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that the Ukraine war would end soon.

Disagreements over territorial issues and the terms of a ceasefire have prevented any clear breakthrough in negotiations, and it remains unconfirmed whether a deal is now imminent.

AFP said Trump's remarks are likely to deepen European concerns that the United States could shift its policy in a direction more favorable to Russia.


mokiya@heraldcorp.com