Zelensky claims he is going to Washington

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has claimed to have spoken with US President Donald Trump about the American leader’s summit with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

Zelensky announced on his Telegram on Saturday morning that he will go to Washington next week for in-person talks with the US leader following a “long, meaningful conversation” with Trump which he said lasted around 90 minutes, on the heels of the summit.

“President Trump informed me about his meeting with the Russian leader, about the main points of the conversation,” he said. “I am going to discuss all the details on ending the killings and the war, with President Trump in Washington on Monday. Thank you for the invitation.”

Putin received a cordial welcome at the Alaska summit, with the two leaders praising the negotiations as constructive. While Putin and Trump announced no deal on Ukraine, Trump later said that the sides moved closer towards settling the conflict. He later urged Zelensky to “make a deal.”

Zelensky also announced on Telegram that he supported Trump's proposal for a trilateral meeting between the US, Russia, and Ukraine. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov earlier said that Russia and the US have not yet discussed a potential trilateral meeting.

The Ukrainian leader also reiterated that Kiev wants its Western European backers to be involved at all stages of the talks to ensure that the country receives reliable US-backed security guarantees.

“We discussed positive signals from the American side regarding participation in guaranteeing security for Ukraine,” he claimed.

Zelensky’s last visit to Washington in late February ended in a PR debacle, as his conversation with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance descended into a public confrontation. The US president accused Zelensky of disrespect and “gambling with World War III.” A joint press conference was cancelled, Zelensky was rapidly ushered out of the White House, and the US briefly suspended military aid to Kiev.