Trump claims Zelensky, Putin 'want to make a deal' after speaking to both leaders
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U.S. President Donald Trump on July 7 said that President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin would both like to "make a deal" to stop the war after claiming he spoke to both leaders in separate calls on July 6.
"I had a very good talk with President Putin... We had a long talk yesterday. It lasted a long time. And I also spoke with President Zelensky right after that. I think they both want to make a deal. It's too bad it took so long. But I think there's something," Trump said in Ankara on the sidelines of the NATO summit.
Neither the Presidential Office nor the Kremlin has confirmed holding separate phone calls with Trump on July 6.
Trump earlier spoke to Zelensky and Putin in two calls on July 4, where both leaders congratulated the U.S. on its Independence Day and discussed Russia's war against Ukraine.
"I had a very good talk with President Putin. I had a very good talk with (Zelensky), I would say, as a combination. A lot of times, I'd do well with Putin, and Zelensky would be a problem, or vice versa. Zelensky would be great, and Putin would be — they both want to get it settled," Trump said. "I think we're going to get it settled, hopefully, soon."
On July 6, Trump said that Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine, despite Russia's deadly aerial attack on Kyiv two days after the two leaders spoke by phone.
"We're going to be going to NATO, and we're going to be talking about it," Trump said earlier. "I think we're going to get it ended. I think we're getting close to getting it done."
Zelensky and Trump are expected to meet on the sidelines of the NATO summit on July 8, where the two will exchange ideas on how to end Russia's war against Ukraine, two people familiar with the matter have told the Kyiv Independent.
