Shortly after meeting with Zelensky and Macron in Paris on Saturday, President-elect Donald Trump demanded an "immediate ceasefire and negotiations" to begin in Ukraine. The statement posted to his official social media accounts also affirmed that Ukraine "would like to make a deal and stop the madness."
But Zelensky and Trump are clearly not exactly on the same page, as Zelensky immediately contradicted Trump's assertion. Zelensky in his own post on X said the war with Russia "cannot simply end with a piece of paper and a few signatures."
"A ceasefire without guarantees can be reignited at any moment... To ensure that Ukrainians no longer suffer losses, we must guarantee the reliability of peace and not turn a blind eye to occupation," the Ukrainian leader continued.
He emphasized that "in the occupied territories of Ukraine, at least several million people remain"—which is tantamount to Zelensky saying that he is rejecting the possibility of territorial concessions.
”It is precisely such peace through strength that we discuss with all our partners, as well as the steps and guarantees needed for the people and the state attacked by Russia,” Zelensky said.
Trump had interestingly in his original statement alluded to China possibly helping with peace negotiations. According to more from Trump's full statement:
“Likewise, Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians,” Trump wrote on Sunday. “There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin. Too many lives are being so needlessly wasted, too many families destroyed, and if it keeps going, it can turn into something much bigger, and far worse.”
He added, “I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!”
As for Zelensky's perspective on how the Paris meeting involving Trump and Macron went, Zelensky later described, "I stated that we need a just and enduring peace — one that the Russians will not be able to destroy in a few years, as they have done repeatedly in the past."
Zelensky elsewhere said the meeting was "good and productive". This even after Axios and other outlets said that Trump was reluctant to hold the meeting in the first place, but "eventually agreed".
A few days ahead of the Paris meeting a Ukrainian government statement made clear that the country will reject any alternative to NATO membership if it is proposed as part of a peace plan with Moscow. But Western leaders have appeared cold to this, seeing in it a recipe for nuclear-armed confrontation with Russia.