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European leaders threatened new sanctions unless Moscow accepted a cease-fire right away. President Trump seemed to endorse the idea of a meeting between Ukraine’s and Russia’s presidents, and said he might take part.
May 12, 2025Updated 2:45 p.m. ET
Ukraine and its allies on Monday sought to pile pressure on Russia to agree to an unconditional truce, with European leaders threatening to immediately impose a new round of sanctions and President Volodymyr Zelensky challenging President Vladimir V. Putin to meet him in Turkey on Thursday.
President Trump raised the stakes, suggesting he might take part in such a meeting — an idea quickly seized on by Mr. Zelensky, the Ukrainian leader, who has been trying to align himself with a U.S. leader who has at times seemed hostile to him.
“I supported Donald Trump with the idea of a complete and unconditional cease-fire,” Mr. Zelensky said in a statement on Monday night. “I supported President Trump with the idea of direct talks with Putin.”
He added: “Of course, all of us in Ukraine would like President Trump to be there with us — at this meeting in Turkey. This is the right idea.”
The Kremlin declined to comment on whether Mr. Putin would take Mr. Zelensky up on his challenge, issued on Sunday, to meet personally on Thursday, and did not immediately respond to the suggestion that Mr. Trump might attend a summit of the three leaders.
But Mr. Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, picked up on Mr. Zelensky’s proposal, saying, “Don’t underestimate Thursday in Turkey.” He then suggested that he might alter his travel plans, which have him in the Middle East that day, and go to Turkey to take part in the meeting, depending on how the hoped-for talks go.
