US President Donald Trump on Tuesday expressed optimism that Russia and Ukraine could reach an agreement to end the war, saying both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wanted to settle the conflict.

Speaking alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump said he had held a “very good talk” with Putin a day earlier and had also spoken with Zelensky. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian President urged European countries to prioritise the development of anti-ballistic missile systems to counter Russia’s missile capabilities.

Trump Says Putin And Zelensky Want To End War

Trump said his conversations with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders had strengthened his belief that an agreement could emerge to end the conflict.

“I think they both want to make a deal. It’s too bad it took so long, but I think there’s going to be — something’s going to come out,” Trump said, according to CNN.

“They (Putin and Zelensky) both wanna get it settled now… I think we’re going to get it settled. Hopefully soon,” he added.

Asked whether anything had changed to make him more optimistic about a possible agreement, including whether Putin had indicated a willingness to make concessions, Trump replied, “Never changed.”

Trump Says Russia-Ukraine War ‘Should Stop’

The US President said his primary concern was ending the loss of lives caused by the continuing conflict.

“I just don’t want them killing people,” Trump said, referring to the casualties caused by the war.

Trump also argued that the conflict had a greater direct impact on Europe than on the United States because of the geographical distance separating America from the war.

“It doesn’t affect us. It affects Europe much more. We’re there to help Europe, but it doesn’t affect the United States. We have an ocean in between. But, you know, it’s just I can’t stand watching what’s happening,” he said.

The US President said images from the battlefield demonstrated the scale and intensity of the violence.

“People wouldn’t believe how violent it is,” Trump said.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s carnage, and it should stop,” he added.

Zelensky Urges Europe To Build Anti-Ballistic Missile Defences

Separately, Zelensky called on European allies to prioritise the production of anti-ballistic missile systems as Ukraine continues to face Russian missile attacks.

Addressing the NATO summit in Ankara, the Ukrainian President said Europe needed stronger defences against Russia’s ballistic missile capabilities.

“The one thing we still need to do here in Europe is build a strong defence against Russia’s ballistic missiles,” Zelensky said.

“It’s a big challenge; this is Russia’s last major advantage,” he added.

Zelensky Calls For Common European Security Community

Zelensky described Russia’s ballistic missile capabilities as a broader international security challenge, citing repeated attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

He called for greater cooperation between Ukraine and European countries to strengthen collective security and defence capabilities.

“We already see each other as reliable partners, and it would be only natural to become a part of one common security community,” Zelensky said.

Trump’s comments and Zelensky’s appeal came as NATO leaders gathered in Ankara to discuss defence spending, military capabilities and continued support for Ukraine amid the ongoing war.

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