Trump: Zelensky 'Has to Be Realistic' About Peace Terms

US President Trump said he and European leaders discussed proposals to end the war in Ukraine in "pretty strong terms" Wednesday, adding that President Volodymyr Zelensky "has to be realistic" about his country's position on a peace plan, the AP reports. As tension builds around a US push for a settlement, the leaders of Germany, Britain, and France spoke to Trump by phone and requested a meeting this weekend with the US and Ukraine, the US president said. "We'll make a determination depending on what they come back with," the president told reporters during a question-and-answer session at the White House.

Earlier, Zelensky said that Ukraine was expected to give its latest peace proposals to US negotiators Wednesday, ahead of his urgent talks Thursday with leaders and officials from about 30 countries supporting Kyiv's effort to end the war with Russia on acceptable terms. The White House did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday on whether that happened. Negotiations are at "a critical moment," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement. (Zelensky earlier did a 180 on the idea of holding elections in Ukraine, which Trump has long called for.)