President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, visiting the White House on Monday with an extraordinary delegation of European leaders, used a genial meeting with President Trump to defend his nation’s interests as Mr. Trump presses for a quick peace agreement with Russia.
Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelensky huddled for several hours with the group of European leaders, who had rushed to Washington to support the Ukrainian president and emerged from the day in a publicly upbeat mood. Much of the discussion centered on how to put in place security guarantees for Ukraine in an end to the war, while Mr. Trump pushed for a trilateral meeting with Mr. Zelensky and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.
But there were few tangible signs of progress made public, or specific details worked out — and any movement toward an end to the war would require follow-through from Mr. Trump, sweeping concessions from Mr. Zelensky and a willingness to stop attacking Ukraine from Mr. Putin. Two European leaders — Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany and President Emmanuel Macron of France — pointedly said while reporters were in the room as the meeting started that moving forward would require a cease-fire, something Mr. Putin did not want.
After the meetings, Mr. Trump called Mr. Putin, with whom he met in Alaska on Friday, while Mr. Zelensky and the other European leaders were still at the White House, two people briefed on the call said. The Europeans rejoined Mr. Trump in the Oval Office after the call was finished, according to a White House official who spoke anonymously because the person was not authorized to discuss the meeting publicly.
The European leaders were expected to stay for dinner, but abruptly dispersed shortly before 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Yuri Ushakov, Mr. Putin’s foreign policy aide, said the Russian president and Mr. Trump had spoken for 40 minutes and agreed that more senior negotiators would be appointed for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine. Mr. Ushakov, in his comments to Rossiya 24, a state-run news channel, made no mention about whether Mr. Putin himself would participate.
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