By Sadaf Sundas Riaz
Trump Presses Russia for Peace After Zelenskyy Meeting as Kremlin Rejects G7 Talks Proposal
U.S. President Donald Trump called on Russia to pursue a peace agreement after holding what he described as a "very good" meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the G7 summit in France, as diplomatic efforts to end the war intensified.
The talks came amid growing discussion over possible direct negotiations between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy confirmed that he had proposed meeting Putin either at the G7 summit or in the United States and said the idea had been discussed with American and French leaders.
However, the Kremlin swiftly pushed back, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating that Moscow had received no official invitation for a Putin-Zelenskyy meeting. Russian officials also repeated their long-standing position that any direct talks should take place in Russia rather than at a Western-hosted summit.
Trump's comments signaled a renewed focus on Ukraine at the G7 after recent attention shifted toward the U.S.-Iran peace agreement. The U.S. president said Russia should make a peace deal and stressed the enormous human cost of the conflict, which is now in its fourth year.
European leaders used the summit to increase pressure on Moscow, discussing additional sanctions and expanded military support for Ukraine. Zelenskyy said G7 leaders agreed that Russia is not winning the war and that continued pressure is necessary to bring Moscow to serious negotiations.
Behind the scenes, France, Britain and Germany are reportedly encouraging Trump to take a more active role in mediating direct talks between Zelenskyy and Putin. Some European leaders even suggested that the United States could host a future summit if both sides agree.
Despite the diplomatic activity, significant obstacles remain. Ukraine continues to demand the restoration of its territorial integrity, while Russia insists that any settlement must reflect what it calls the "realities on the ground." Those opposing positions have blocked previous peace initiatives and continue to make a breakthrough difficult