The Brief
President Donald Trump will meet with NATO leaders in Washington D.C. on Monday.
The high-stakes meeting will center around reaching a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
The Ukrainian community in Minnesota said they hope to secure lasting peace and Ukraine’s future.
(FOX 9) - President Donald Trump said no deal was reached after his meeting with Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. Next, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders will be meeting with Trump in Washington D.C. on Monday.
Heartbreak and hope
What they're saying
Trump took to social media after the meeting and said he had a phone call with Zelenskyy and several European leaders. Trump wrote the goal -- now -- was a peace agreement rather than a ceasefire agreement.
"It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up," wrote Trump in a post on Truth Social.
The other side
Some members of the Minnesota Ukrainian community said it was disappointing Zelenskyy was not included in the Alaska Summit as Russia’s war in Ukraine rages on into its fourth year.
"The fact that there was no deal, to me, means success because the deal that was being offered was no deal at all whatsoever. No situation where there are no Ukrainian representatives at a meeting, it’s a false meeting," said Stefan Iwaskewycz, Ukrainian Village Band.
Ukrainian community reacts
On behalf of the Ukrainian Community of Minnesota, Maria Doan sent FOX 9 this statement:
"The Ukrainian Community of Minnesota warmly welcomes President Trump’s continued efforts to seek an end to Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine. True peace would bring urgently needed relief to millions of Ukrainian families, unlock economic opportunity across the region, and strengthen America’s own security and prosperity.
We look with hope to the forthcoming visit of President Volodymyr Zelensky, alongside European leaders, as a moment to demonstrate unity and resolve. This is an historic opportunity to strengthen the international front against Russian aggression and to affirm that Ukraine does not stand alone. At this pivotal juncture, President Trump holds an unprecedented opportunity: to apply the full weight of American influence and ensure that Russia is no longer able to wage war against Ukraine and its people.
For nearly a decade, Vladimir Putin has sought to prolong this war. Indifferent to the devastation inflicted on Ukrainian families—and despite staggering losses among his own forces—he clings to the belief that delay works in his favor. Without decisive American leadership, the bloodshed will continue.
Diplomacy, standing on its own, cannot halt such aggression. Only bold measures—accelerating the delivery of defensive weapons to Ukraine, strengthening sanctions, and deploying powerful tariffs and economic pressure on those who enable Putin’s war machine—can create the conditions necessary to compel him to the negotiating table.
Today, purposeful action and unwavering resolve could set President Trump apart as the leader who not only pursued peace, but who possessed the courage to achieve it. The Ukrainian people long for peace more than anyone—but peace cannot be won through surrender. This war is not about territories; it is about the lives, freedom, and future of Ukraine’s people.
The United States holds unmatched leverage. President Trump has the rare chance to accomplish what no leader has yet achieved: to hold Putin accountable and to enforce effective security guarantees for Ukraine. By wielding sanctions, tariffs, and sustained support for Ukraine’s defense as instruments of peace, he can secure a legacy as the statesman who delivered safety for America, freedom for Ukraine, and stability for the world."
The Source
President Donald Trump, Ukrainian American Community Center, Ukrainian Village Band, FOX News, Associated Press
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