Trump: Talks could lead to 'trilateral' with Russia

DONALD Trump last night said that meetings with European leaders could pave the way for three-way talks between the leaders of Ukraine, Russia and the US amid his drive to end the fighting in eastern Europe.

- WILL DURRANT & TED HENNESSEY

The US president was hosting several European leaders at the White House on Monday, including the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office alongside Mr Zelensky, Mr Trump said he would phone the Russian president after the talks.

"I think if everything works out well today, we'll have a trilat, and I think there will be a reasonable chance of ending the war when we do that," the US president said.

He later added: "If we don’t have a trilat, then the fighting continues."

Vladimir Putin, who Mr Trump met on Friday in Anchorage, Alaska, was set to receive a phone call once the talks have "finished", the president said.

"We're going to have a phone call right after these meetings today and we may or may not have a trilat."

Asked about "Nato-like protection" for Ukraine, Donald Trump replied: "I don’t know if you define it that way, but Nato-like? I mean, we're going to give, we have people waiting in another room right now, they're all here, from Europe.

“Biggest people in Europe.

“And they want to give protection, they feel very strongly about it, and we'll help them out with that.”