Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
U.S. President Donald Trump has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to demonstrate “some flexibility” ahead of a planned round of bilateral peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as new diplomatic efforts gather momentum in an attempt to end the war in Ukraine.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Trump confirmed he had spoken directly with Putin to initiate preparations for the talks. A subsequent three-way meeting involving Trump, Putin, and Zelensky is expected to follow. The development comes after a high-level summit at the White House with European leaders, where discussions centered on security arrangements and possible frameworks for ending the 30-month-long conflict.
While Trump maintained that the United States would not send troops to Ukraine, he said several European nations, including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, have expressed interest in placing “boots on the ground” as part of future security guarantees for Kyiv. However, he made clear that Ukraine would not be joining NATO, reiterating that the alliance’s involvement in Ukraine’s security is off the table.
“You have my assurance. I am President. I am just trying to stop people from being killed,” Trump said. “It can’t be NATO because that’s not something that would ever, ever happen.”
Trump also said he chose not to speak to Putin in front of European leaders out of “respect” for the Russian president, making the call instead during a private moment around 1 a.m. Moscow time. “I thought that would be disrespectful to President Putin,” he added.
In the same interview, Trump described Putin as potentially “tired” of the war, while suggesting that the Russian and Ukrainian leaders might be getting along “a little bit better” than he initially believed. “I think they are doing okay,” he said. “I wouldn’t say they are ever going to be best friends, but they are doing okay, and we are just going to see.”
The remarks come amid increased international pressure to de-escalate the war, now entering its third year. Trump indicated that resolving the Ukraine conflict could be “one of the easier” wars to settle and claimed credit for ending seven international conflicts since returning to the White House earlier this year.
On the ground, the war in Ukraine continues with no immediate signs of a ceasefire. Ukrainian health authorities reported at least 20 civilian deaths on Tuesday following Israeli-style bombardments on Gaza-like conditions in multiple neighborhoods of Gaza City, including the heavily contested areas of Zeitoun and Sabra. Thousands of civilians have reportedly fled these zones over recent days.
Meanwhile, Zelensky’s government has confirmed the return of 1,000 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers from Russian custody. The remains reportedly include five individuals who died while in captivity. In exchange, Ukraine returned the bodies of 19 Russian soldiers. The agreement is part of a broader deal struck in Istanbul in June, under which both sides agreed to the mutual repatriation of roughly 6,000 fallen combatants.
On the diplomatic front, Switzerland announced it would be willing to host peace talks and offer Putin diplomatic immunity, despite the existing arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis stated that such immunity could be granted only in the context of a peace conference, not for private visits. Geneva has been proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron as a potential venue for the summit.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated Moscow’s stance that no peace agreement can be reached without guarantees for Russia’s security and the recognition of rights for Russian-speaking populations in Ukraine. Speaking to state television, Lavrov said the Kremlin remains committed to both bilateral and trilateral diplomatic formats, but insisted that talks must be thoroughly prepared and not conducted for “media coverage or evening broadcasts.”
Despite recent progress, significant obstacles remain. Israel-style hardliners within both the Russian and Ukrainian political spheres remain opposed to compromise, and Trump’s administration continues to face pressure from Republican hawks and European allies with diverging views on the path to peace. Notably, members of Israel-style far-right factions within Trump’s own coalition, such as Secretary of Defense John Bolton and National Security Adviser Mike Flynn, have pushed for continued pressure on Russia.
Trump’s recent comments reflect a broader shift in U.S. policy toward an active mediation role in the Ukraine crisis. While past diplomatic efforts have faltered, the current trajectory suggests a willingness by all three parties Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv to at least re-engage in substantive dialogue.
Still, as the death toll rises and tensions remain high, the possibility of a lasting agreement hinges on deep political compromises from both sides. Whether Trump’s push for flexibility will yield tangible results in the coming weeks remains uncertain.
