Russia should make peace deal, Trump says after ‘very good’ Zelensky meeting

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – US President Donald Trump said on June 16 that Russia should make a peace deal with Ukraine, adding that he would do what he could to end the war after a “very good” meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Group of Seven (G-7) leaders at a summit in France.

Trump arrived at the June 15 to June 17 G-7 summit in the lakeside resort of Evian-les-Bains brandishing a preliminary deal to end the conflict with Iran and with a renewed focus on finishing the war in Ukraine.

Zelensky and European leaders sought to impress upon Trump that Ukraine’s fortunes have improved as Kyiv pushes for more support to strengthen its hand in eventual peace talks with Moscow.

Trump cheered his meeting with Zelensky and other G-7 presidents at a closed-door session on June 16.

Ukraine’s presidency also shared images of Zelensky in conversation with Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the summit’s sidelines.

“I’m gonna do whatever I can,” Trump told reporters, adding that too many young men were dying on the battlefield on both sides.

“Look, Russia should make a deal,” he added. “I settled eight wars. This was the one I thought was going to be the easiest to settle.”

Europe and Ukraine seek to change Trump’s mind

“The key focus is to strengthen air defence for Ukraine and advance diplomacy, to make Russia end its war,” Zelensky posted on X after the meeting. “Peace is needed.”

European diplomats said the tone of the meeting had been constructive.

“We now seem to have joint analysis: that Russia is (on) the defensive now,” one European diplomat said.

A French diplomat said G-7 leaders had agreed that the battlefield dynamic was now in Ukraine’s favour, and committed to providing Kyiv with more air defence capabilities.

European leaders have wanted to convince Trump that previous US positions on the possible terms of a deal were overly favourable towards Moscow, particularly now that Ukraine’s drone incursions into Russia have improved its fortunes.

“The tide is turning for Ukraine,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on X. “The situation in 2026 is very different from 2025. Ukraine is bravely holding the front line. Russia’s fatigue is openly showing. That’s the time to double down on our support.”

Zelensky is pushing for renewed momentum and a greater European role. He said on June 15 he had offered to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-7 summit. Putin has repeatedly dismissed the idea of direct talks with Zelensky unless they are held in Moscow.

European leaders were also set to warn Trump that a superficial interim deal with Iran risks entrenching Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. French President Emmanuel Macron said the priority was to ensure there is a “solid, serious agreement that is finalised”.

G-7 to examine Hormuz shipping problem

The June 16 working lunch was set to focus on the safe reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran largely closed after it was attacked by the US and Israel at the end of February, and also seek to identify alternative routes to bypass the waterway.

Trump said the strait would be “completely open” on June 19.

The interim deal should open a 60-day window for complex technical negotiations that would include the fate of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium and the lifting of international sanctions.

However, European allies fear that an inexperienced US negotiating team may fail to secure a robust nuclear agreement or address Iran’s ballistic missile programme in the next phase, potentially creating a prolonged stand-off.

Trump said his deal with Tehran stated “loud and clear” that it would not develop a nuclear weapon – something Iran has long denied seeking to do. REUTERS