Zelenskyy: Trump supports ceasefire and security guarantees for Ukraine at Putin summit
BERLIN — European leaders met virtually with President Trump today, urging him to press Russian President Vladimir Putin for a ceasefire and security guarantees for Ukraine before any peace talks begin. The Trump-Putin meeting is set for Friday in Alaska — without Ukraine’s president at the table.
At a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Trump agreed that Russia must commit to those terms before negotiations start. Merz said Europe, NATO, and Trump were “in broad agreement” on next steps — including rejecting legal recognition of Russian-occupied territory.
Loading…
Merz warned that Europe’s security and democracy are at stake if Russia’s invasion goes unchallenged, saying Putin could target other nations if allowed to keep land taken by force.
“The strategy is based on supporting Ukraine and putting pressure on Russia. So, if in Alaska there’s no movement on the Russian side, then the US and the Europeans need to increase the pressure.“
Speaking later at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Trump called the meeting “friendly” and rated it “a 10.” He said there’s “a very good chance” of a follow-up summit with Putin and Zelenskyy “almost immediately” if Friday’s talks go well — but also warned that “very severe consequences” await Russia if there’s no ceasefire deal.
Still, Trump acknowledged he doesn’t believe he can stop Putin from targeting civilians, casting doubt on the chances for a quick truce.
“I’ve had a lot of good conversations with him. Then I go home and I see that a rocket hit a nursing home, or a rocket hit an apartment building, and people are laying dead in the state. So, I guess the answer to that is no, because I’ve had this conversation
Putin now controls nearly 20% of Ukraine, including Crimea and most of four eastern regions. He is demanding Ukraine withdraw from remaining territory there and abandon plans to join NATO — demands Kyiv calls unconstitutional and unacceptable.
‘My role was making movies that mattered,’ says Jodie Foster, as ‘Taxi Driver’ turns 50
Foster was just 12 years old when she starred in the 1976 film. "What luck to have been part of that, our golden age of cinema in the '70s," she says. Her latest film is Vie Privée (A Private Life).
Supreme Court appears likely to uphold state bans on transgender athletes
To date, 27 states have enacted laws barring transgender participation in sports.
Keep an eye out for these new books from big names in January
The new year begins with a host of promising titles from George Saunders, Julian Barnes, Jennette McCurdy, Karl Ove Knausgaard and more. Here's a look ahead at what's publishing this month.
Want to play a Tiny Desk concert? The 2026 Contest is now open for entries
The 2026 Tiny Desk Contest, our annual search for the next great undiscovered artist, is now officially open for entries.
Scott Adams, the controversial cartoonist behind ‘Dilbert,’ dies at 68
Adams announced in May that he was dying of metastatic prostate cancer. Thousands of newspapers carried his strip satirizing office culture from the '90s until a controversy in 2023.
As Iran’s protests continue, Israelis and Palestinians watch closely
There is broad support for the protests among Israeli officials, but Palestinians say they hope the Iranian regime stays in place and the protests die down soon.
