President Trump says he’s arranging trilateral talks aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. Trump made the claim after wrapping up a hastily arranged summit at the White House Monday with European and NATO leaders joined by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump promised the U.S. would help guarantee Ukraine’s security in any future peace deal with Russia, but said European countries would lead the efforts. Trump didn’t clarify whether he’d send U.S. forces to Ukrainian soil. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin remained open to participating in a peacekeeping mission; he also said the next round of negotiations should only come after Russia and Ukraine agree to a ceasefire. 

Chancellor Friedrich Merz: “Let’s try to put pressure on Russia, because the credibility of these efforts, these efforts we are undertaking today, are depending on at least a ceasefire from the beginning of the serious negotiations, from next step on.”

Trump countered that he hopes to move more directly toward a peace deal with Russia, adding, “I don’t think you need a ceasefire.” Trump then went on to pause the summit to call Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin later confirmed the roughly 40-minute call, calling it “frank” and “very constructive,” without stating if Putin had agreed to meet Zelensky.

Throughout the day, Trump was friendly and cordial with Zelensky, unlike in February, when Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated the Ukrainian president before White House aides asked him to leave White House. Trump is pressing Ukraine to exchange territory for an end to the war, something Zelensky has rejected. Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Ministry called the prospect of NATO forces in Ukraine “categorically unacceptable.” We’ll host a debate on Monday’s White House summit and Russia’s war on Ukraine after headlines.