Daijiworld Media Network – Washington

Washington, Aug 30: US President Donald Trump is pressing ahead with efforts to organise a Russia-Ukraine peace summit, the White House said Friday, even as French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned that Vladimir Putin might be “playing” Trump.

“President Trump and his national security team continue to engage with Russian and Ukrainian officials towards a bilateral meeting to stop the killing and end the war,” a White House official told AFP on condition of anonymity. “As many world leaders have stated, this war would have never happened if President Trump was in office. It is not in the national interest to further negotiate these issues publicly,” the official added.

Macron, while expressing hope for such talks, warned that if Russia failed to agree by Monday, “it will show again President Putin has played President Trump.”

Earlier this month, Trump met Putin in Alaska, and later hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky along with European leaders at the White House. Following the meetings, Trump announced plans to set up direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv. However, Russia has since downplayed the possibility of a summit.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller rejected suggestions that Trump was being manipulated by Putin. “Such an absurd question,” he said in response to a reporter. “No president in history has done more to advance the cause of peace. He’s working steadfastly to end the killing, and that’s something everybody in the world should celebrate.”