Conflicting Positions on Ukraine: Trump Says "Something's Going to Happen" as Russia Rejects "Foreign Interference"

Amidst ongoing tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump made notable remarks about the war in Ukraine, expressing his belief that "something's going to happen" even though Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky are not yet ready for peace talks. In an interview with CBS on Thursday, Trump confirmed that he is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to press for a peace agreement to end the conflict.

These statements come after Trump expressed frustration over his recent summit with Putin in Alaska, which failed to achieve any significant breakthrough. A White House official indicated that Trump was expected to speak with Zelensky on the phone the following day to reaffirm his commitment to a diplomatic solution.

For his part, Russian President Putin announced his readiness to meet with Zelensky in Moscow, provided that the meeting is well-prepared and leads to "concrete results." However, this offer was rejected by the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, who dismissed Moscow as a potential venue for talks.

In parallel, Russia has taken a firm stance against any potential external intervention in the conflict. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned that Moscow categorically refuses to discuss any "foreign interference" in Ukraine, "in any form," calling it "absolutely unacceptable" and a threat to security. Her statements came as France hosted a European summit of the "coalition of the willing" supporting Ukraine, which is demanding European security guarantees that include deploying troops on its territory.

Zakharova asserted that the security guarantees sought by Kyiv are not "guarantees for Ukraine," but rather "dangerous guarantees for the European continent." Moscow has strongly rejected these demands, which are promoted by French President Emmanuel Macron, who confirmed Europe's readiness to provide security guarantees to Kyiv once a peace agreement is signed.

Macron has repeatedly expressed skepticism about Putin's stated desire for peace. Zelensky also shared a similar skepticism, stating that he sees no real signs that Moscow wants to end the war.

Reports indicate that the nature of the European guarantees to be discussed remains confidential, but they are expected to include the deployment of European troops and the training of the Ukrainian army, with support from the United States.