Europe hails positive call with Trump

US President Donald Trump was “very clear” in a meeting Wednesday with European leaders that the US wants to achieve a ceasefire at the summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, French President Emmanuel Macron said.

- ASSOCIATED PRESS

Speaking after the virtual meeting between Trump, Ukrainian’ President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders, Macron said Trump was prioritising a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. He added that Trump had been clear that “territorial issues relating to Ukraine ... will only be negotiated by the Ukrainian president.”

Following his meeting Friday with the Russian leader, Trump will also “seek a future trilateral meeting” — one involving Trump, Putin and Zelenskyy, Macron said.

“I think that's a very important point in this regard. And we hope that it can be held in Europe, in a neutral country that is acceptable to all parties,” Macron said.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the meeting with Zelenskyy and Trump as “constructive.”

Speaking alongside Zelenskyy, Merz said after the videoconference that “important decisions” could be made in Anchorage, but stressed that “fundamental European and Ukrainian security interests must be protected” at the meeting.