We want to stop people from being killed, says Trump as Ukrainian delegation meets US officials
Washington DC: US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that high-level discussions between a visiting Ukrainian delegation and senior United States officials were progressing constructively, signalling what he described as a possible opening to advance talks on ending the Russia–Ukraine conflict.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said there was a “good chance” of reaching a deal and stressed that his primary concern was reducing casualties, claiming that 27,000 people had been killed in the past month of the war.
Trump said Ukraine continued to grapple with “difficult problems”, pointing specifically to corruption, which he argued remained an obstacle in diplomatic efforts. His remarks came as a Ukrainian delegation led by Rustem Umerov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, held meetings in Florida with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior officials to review Washington’s peace proposal.
The US President also addressed speculation surrounding his recent comments about closing Venezuelan airspace. He dismissed suggestions that the warning implied imminent military action and said the statement should not be overinterpreted. Trump reiterated longstanding concerns about Venezuela, calling it “not a very friendly country” and linking issues of migration and drug trafficking to strained bilateral relations. He confirmed having held a recent phone conversation with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro but declined to elaborate on its content, describing it simply as “a phone call”.
Questions were also raised about reports alleging that US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth had instructed military personnel to “leave no survivors” after a strike involving a boar in the Caribbean. Trump said Hegseth had denied making such an order, adding that he accepted that denial. When pressed on separate reports claiming that a second strike had killed survivors, Trump again referred to Hegseth’s statement that the incident had not occurred.
The Ukrainian delegation’s visit came shortly after a senior aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy resigned following an anti-corruption raid at his home, adding a domestic layer to Kyiv’s diplomatic mission. Umerov and his team were tasked with discussing the US administration’s peace framework, which is based on Geneva-aligned points aimed at defining a viable pathway to halt the conflict.
President Zelenskyy said earlier that a “dignified end” to the war was achievable, highlighting what he characterised as a constructive approach from Washington. He noted that diplomatic efforts remained active and that the visiting delegation carried clear directives to engage substantively with American officials. Zelenskyy said he expected the talks to clarify the steps required in the coming days to advance negotiations and work towards a resolution aligned with Ukraine’s priorities.
(With ANI inputs)