Donald Trump has extended sanctions against Russia as Volodymyr Zelensky prepares for a historic meeting at the White House later today.
The U.S. president has renewed the state of emergency declaration regarding the situation in Ukraine until March 6, 2026, while also maintaining sanctions first imposed by Barack Obama in 2014.
“The actions and policies addressed in these Executive Orders continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States,” the decree states.
This move follows Trump's remarks on Thursday during a press conference with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, during which he suggested a peace deal for Ukraine was likely to happen “soon or not at all.”
Trump has been pushing for a resolution to the conflict, reestablishing contact with Moscow and expressing trust in Vladimir Putin’s commitment to any potential agreement. “I have confidence that if we make a deal, it’s going to hold,” he said.
Zelensky is expected to arrive at the White House at 11 a.m. local time (4 p.m. UK time) and hold a press conference roughly two hours later.
Ahead of a Ukraine summit with European leaders on Sunday, Starmer will hold a call with the leaders of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia to discuss security and support for Ukraine. Zelensky will then visit Downing Street for further talks on military aid and long-term security guarantees.
Following Zelensky’s visit, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will participate in discussions on migration, Ukraine, and European security.
The Ukraine summit will bring together leaders from Ukraine, France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Finland, Sweden, Czechia, and Romania. The NATO Secretary General, the European Commission President, and the European Council President will also attend.
A Downing Street spokesperson stated: “The Prime Minister will use the summit to drive forward European action on Ukraine—signaling our collective, unwavering support for securing a just and lasting peace that guarantees Ukraine’s sovereignty and security.”
Key Trump-Zelensky Meeting Schedule
- 11:00 a.m. (4:00 p.m. UK time): Trump and Zelensky meet at the White House
- 11:05 a.m. (4:05 p.m. UK time): Bilateral meeting in the Oval Office
- 11:35 a.m. (4:35 p.m. UK time): Working lunch between the two presidents
- 1:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m. UK time): Joint press conference in the East Room
Meanwhile, Trump denied accusations that he called Zelensky a “dictator,” despite previously criticizing the Ukrainian leader on Truth Social for not holding elections—something banned under martial law.
During their meeting, Trump and Zelensky are expected to sign a critical minerals agreement, which the U.S. president claims will serve as a security measure to deter further Russian aggression.
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