Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a “good conversation” with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, saying they discussed the recent call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, as well as coordination with other European leaders.
“We are aligning our positions. Italy supports all efforts aimed at achieving a real peace,” Zelenskyy said. He added that they agreed to stay in close contact on the next steps and discussed possible platforms for negotiations with Russia.
“A ceasefire is needed to save lives. Honest diplomacy is needed. Ukraine is ready — and Russia must demonstrate it is truly ready to end the war,” Zelenskyy emphasized.
The call came a day after Trump’s two-hour conversation with Putin, during which Trump claimed that Ukraine and Russia would “immediately” begin ceasefire talks. However, the Kremlin later downplayed expectations, proposing only a “memorandum” on a ceasefire and reiterating demands that Ukraine and its allies consider unacceptable.
According to the Financial Times, European leaders were “stunned” by Trump’s account of the discussion, with many concluding that the U.S. president was not prepared to increase pressure on Moscow.