President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with European leaders at a Ukraine peace summit in Paris on Thursday to discuss increasing economic pressure on Russia to end the war.
Focus on Economic Pressure on Russia
The meeting centered on using strong economic measures to force an end to the three-and-a-half-year conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated the goal is to “push the situation toward real peace,” with French President Emmanuel Macron adding they “made real progress in Paris.“
“We discussed different options, and the most important is pressure, using strong measures, particularly economic ones, to force an end to the war,” Zelenskyy said. “The key to peace is depriving Russia’s war machine of money, depriving it of resources.“
Trump Urges Leaders to Stop Buying Russian Oil
President Trump specifically called on European nations to stop buying Russian oil. A White House official noted that Russia received €1.1 billion, or nearly $1.3 billion, in fuel sales from the EU in one year.
“President Trump emphasized that Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil that is funding the war,” the official stated. The President also insisted that European leaders “place economic pressure on China for funding Russia’s war efforts.“
Details of the Ukraine Peace Summit
The Trump Zelenskyy Paris meeting was part of a “Coalition of the Willing” summit, which a White House official confirmed European leaders had invited Trump to join. The U.S. under Trump has not previously been a member of the coalition.
The summit occurred one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Beijing. They attended a military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II hostilities.
Protecting Ukrainian Skies and Future Security
Leaders also discussed how to better defend Ukraine from Russian missile and drone attacks. “Ukraine has proposed a format for protecting our skies for the U.S. to consider,” Zelenskyy announced.
As part of future security arrangements, some 26 nations have reportedly agreed to deploy troops to Ukraine the day after a ceasefire deal is secured.
Putin Invites Zelenskyy to Moscow Amid Talks
Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited President Zelenskyy to Moscow for security talks. However, Ukrainian and Western security officials have flagged the invitation as disingenuous.
President Trump stated he will speak with Putin in the coming days. Zelenskyy confirmed he and Trump “agreed on further contacts” and thanked the U.S.
President for supporting his people.
