Trump's message to Zelenskyy after meeting Putin: Make a deal and bring war to an end

After a meeting that lasted for nearly three hours between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on Friday, Trump said that the onus was now on Volodymyr Zelenskyy "to secure a deal" and bring the war to a complete end. 

"Now it's really up to President Zelenskyy to get it done. And I would also say the European nations have to get involved a little bit, but it's really up to President Zelenskyy", Trump was quoted as saying to Fox News' Sean Hannity.  

While rating his meeting with Putin as a 10/10, he added, "I think we are, and if they would like, I will be at that next meeting. They are going to set up a meeting now between President Zelenskyy and Putin, and maybe me...and we have a pretty good chance of getting it done." 

On the Alaska summit with Putin

After his closed-door meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which lasted about three hours, the US President said that they "agreed on a lot of points" and are close to making a deal. 

He was asked how the Russia-Ukraine war might end, with possible assumptions of land swaps and Ukraine's urgent need for security guarantees outside of NATO, Trump responded, "Well, I think those are points that we negotiated, and those are the points that we largely have agreed on, actually. I think we have agreed on a lot. I can tell you...The meeting was a very warm meeting." 

Adding, "He's a strong guy. He is tough as hell and all of that. But the meeting was a very warm meeting between two very important countries, and it's very good when they get along. I think we are pretty close to it yet. Now look, Ukraine has to agree to it. Maybe they will say no, because Biden handed out money like it was candy, and Europe gave him a lot of money. We gave $350 billion. Europe gave him much less, but still a lot $100 billion." 

Trump's advice to Ukraine

Donald Trump was also asked what his advice would be to Ukraine. To which, he strongly stated that Ukraine should make a deal with Russia. Moscow is a very big power, while Kyiv is not. 

He also said that President Putin would like to solve the war, and the deal will be sealed. 

Trump replied, "Make the deal. Gotta make a deal. Yeah. Look, Russia is a very big power, and they are not. They have great soldiers, and they are great. But, you know, they also had the best equipment. You know, they had our equipment. And, I gave them javelins...if you remember my first term. I had never seen anything like it. We have the greatest equipment in the world. But they did have courage in fighting. And, you know, they are fighting a big war machine. And we, I think are close to a deal." 

He added, "But, I won't. I don't like saying it. I always say if I am really close, I say 50-50, because so many things can happen. But I think President Putin will solve the problem. And it was a problem that should never have happened."