Sawt Falasteen - Trump welcomes Zelensky with fresh optimism on peace deal

The meeting is the first since an acrimonious row between the two men in the Oval Office in February, and comes just days after Trump held a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

Despite an apparent gulf over concessions that Trump has pushed Ukraine to make to Russia, the US leader said there was a "good chance" of ending the conflict sparked by Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

He said he would be talking to Putin by telephone later Monday and hoped for a three-way meeting with the Kremlin leader and Zelensky.

"I think if everything works out well today we'll have a trilat, and I think there will be a reasonable chance of ending the war when we do that," said Trump, sitting in the Oval alongside Zelensky.

Zelensky, who came backed by a phalanx of top European leaders, praised Trump.

"Thank you very much for your efforts, personal efforts to stop killings and stop this war," he said.

The leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Finland and the European Commission and NATO were at the White House in a show of support for Ukraine, as Trump pushed Kyiv to give up Crimea and abandon its goals of joining NATO.

They were due to meet with Trump shortly.

- 'I love it'-

The atmosphere was far calmer than when Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelensky in front of TV cameras less than six months ago for not being "grateful" for US support.

Trump even complimented Zelensky on his black jacket, after the Ukrainian was criticized by right-wing media because he failed to change his trademark war-leader's outfit for a suit during the February visit.

"I love it," said Trump, pointing to Zelensky's outfit as they shook hands on the Ukrainian president's arrival at the West Wing.

The lighthearted exchange however belied the fact that Kyiv and its allies had been fearful that Trump was, once again, pivoting towards Putin's views following the Alaska summit.

With Zelensky pushing for Western security guarantees to back up any peace deal with Russia, Trump said the United States would be "involved" in Ukraine's future security.

Trump, 79, would not say if US troops could help with such guarantees but said that "we'll let you know that maybe later today."

Air raid sirens sounded over Kyiv on Monday, AFP journalists heard, just as European leaders were arriving at the White House. Russian strikes overnight killed at least seven people.

- 'Peace through strength' -

The European leaders held a preparatory meeting with the Ukrainian president in Washington on Monday morning, while Zelensky also met Trump's Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg.

Zelensky described the talks at the White House as "very serious" and sought to flatter Trump by echoing his trademark "peace through strength" language.

"President Trump has that strength. We have to do everything right to make peace happen," he said.

Zelensky called on social media for a "reliable and lasting peace for Ukraine and for the whole of Europe" and said they would discuss Western security guarantees for Ukraine.

Reports had said Putin would be open to Western security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of any peace deal, but had ruled out Kyiv's long-term ambition to join NATO.

The US president had alarmed Kyiv and European capitals in recent days by repeating a number of Russian talking points.

Trump said Sunday that Zelensky could end the war "almost immediately, if he wants to" but that, for Ukraine, there was "no getting back" Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, and "NO GOING INTO NATO."

On Monday, Trump reiterated that he does not think a ceasefire is necessary for negotiating an end to the war, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion of its pro-Western neighbor in February 2022.

J.AbuShaban--SF-PST