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US President Donald Trump stated on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is unwilling to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy simply “because he doesn’t like him.”
When asked in the Oval Office why Putin refuses to meet Zelenskyy, Trump responded directly: “Because he doesn’t like him.”
Trump revealed that he had another conversation with Putin after their call last week, where he attempted to arrange direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
Although he described the discussion as positive, no progress was made. “Every conversation I have with him is a good conversation,” Trump explained. “And then, unfortunately, a bomb is loaded up into Kyiv or someplace, and then I get very angry about it. I think we’re going to get the war done. It’s tough.”
When pressed on the chances of a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, Trump admitted uncertainty. “I don’t know that they’ll meet. Maybe they will. Maybe they won’t.”
Last week, Trump had hosted Zelenskyy and European leaders in Washington while also holding a separate call with Putin. His stated goal was to push for direct talks between the two leaders, potentially followed by a three-way summit that would also include him.
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Trump stressed that avoiding talks could have consequences. “They should meet,” he said, noting that he would wait “over the next week or two” before deciding whether to intervene himself.
On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed the chances of talks. He insisted Putin would not meet Zelenskyy unless Ukraine accepted Russia’s long-standing demands. Lavrov also cast doubt on Zelenskyy’s authority, claiming that his presidential term had already expired.
Previously, Trump likened the idea of bringing Putin and Zelenskyy together to “mixing oil and vinegar.” When asked if he himself would join such a meeting, he replied: “We’ll see.”
