Trump hails ‘very good’ Zelenskyy talks as Ukraine, Russia set for US-led meeting in UAE
'Everybody wants to have the war end,' says US president as envoys prepare for high-level discussions with Vladimir Putin.
US President Donald Trump said he held a “very good” meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday, suggesting fresh momentum towards ending the war.
“I had a very good meeting with President Zelenskyy. Everybody wants to have the war end,” Trump said following the talk on Thursday.
The hour-long session in Davos, Switzerland, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum comes as the US administration intensifies its diplomatic efforts across both sides of the front lines.
Zelenskyy also described the talks as “good” and said Ukrainian and Russian delegations would hold their first trilateral meetings with US officials in the UAE. The discussions are expected to take place on Friday and Saturday.
Speaking after his address at the forum, Zelenskyy said documents being drafted with Washington to end the nearly four-year war were close to completion.
“We met with President Trump, and our teams are working almost every day. It’s not simple,” Zelenskyy said. “The documents aimed at ending this war are nearly, nearly ready.”
He acknowledged that his dialogue with Trump had been challenging, but emphasised that the meeting was ultimately positive.
“No security guarantees work without US”
Zelenskyy stressed that any lasting peace would require firm security guarantees from the US, warning that commitments from European allies alone would not be sufficient to deter future Russian aggression.
"The UK and France are ready to actually commit their forces on the ground,” Zelenskyy said, added: “But the backstop of President Trump is needed. No security guarantees work without the US.”
In a broader critique, Zelenskyy said Europe looked "fragmented" and "lost" as it confronts shifting dynamics in Washington.
“Instead of becoming a truly global power, Europe remains a beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers,” he said. “Europe looks lost trying to convince the US president to change.”
Meeting with Putin
Trump confirmed that a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner is scheduled, but the specific timing of the summit remained fluid.
Putin indicated earlier Thursday he would receive envoys in Moscow today, while Trump said the meeting would take place on Friday.
"We have peace in the Middle East … and I believe another one's coming pretty soon," Trump said earlier in the day, pointing to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Witkoff reinforced this optimism, suggesting that negotiators are currently focused on resolving just one final issue.