President Donald Trump was on the receiving end of some harsh language during a call with European leaders ahead of his summit with Vladimir Putin.
The U.S. president told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other leaders on Wednesday that he hoped to achieve a ceasefire and get a better understanding of whether a peace deal is possible during Friday's meeting with the Russian president, two sources familiar with the call told Axios.
"Trump had downplayed the likelihood of major breakthroughs in Alaska, calling it a 'feel-out meeting,'" the website reported. "But French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who were also on the call, both confirmed afterwards that Trump said he wants to try to obtain a ceasefire."
Zelensky warned Trump during the call, which lasted more than an hour, that "Putin cannot be trusted," according to a knowledgeable source, who added that Trump told the leaders that land swaps would be necessary for a peace deal.
"Trump said it's Vladimir and Volodymyr who have to discuss territories with each other, not him," the source said.
Merz and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte were both "very active" on the call, according to the source, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni "raised some good points" and Polish President Karol Nawrocki "reminded Trump of the Battle of Warsaw, exactly 105 years ago, when Poland fought together with Ukrainians against the Bolsheviks in Russia" – but one leader angered the U.S. president.
"A source who was on the call said Macron took 'very tough' positions and told Trump 'a meeting is a very big thing to give to Putin,'" Axios reported, quoting the source. "'Trump didn't like that.'"