**US President Donald Trump Praises Ukrainian Leader**
US President Donald Trump has said he respects Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, just before their talks at the White House. The two leaders will discuss ending the war between Ukraine and Russia.
Trump was asked if he would apologize for calling Zelensky a “dictator” recently. He said he couldn’t believe he had made that comment. Trump also praised Zelensky as “very brave”.
**Talks on Ending War**
The meetings come after the US administration surprised its Western partners by talking to Moscow about ending the war in Ukraine. The new president, Joe Biden’s predecessor, had blamed Zelensky for the conflict and said he should have started peace talks earlier.
Trump predicted a “very good meeting” with Zelensky on Friday, saying efforts to achieve peace are moving quickly. He wants Russia and Ukraine to agree on a deal before deciding what measures might be put in place to enforce it.
**Security Guarantees**
Zelensky is expected to sign a deal giving the US access to Ukraine’s rare earth mineral resources. Trump said this would act as a deterrent against future Russian attacks on Ukraine.
**Peacekeeping Force**
The British prime minister had said earlier that the UK was prepared to send troops to Ukraine after the war, but only if the US provided a “backstop”. Trump said he would help British peacekeepers if they were attacked by Russia.
**Trust in Putin**
Trump praised his own commitment to bringing peace to Ukraine. He was asked if Vladimir Putin was trustworthy, and replied that you can’t always know who will deceive you or not.
The EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said Putin and Russia do not want a peace agreement, and that it needs the Europeans and Ukrainians on board for any deal to work.
**Zelensky’s Visit**
Zelensky met the Irish prime minister on Thursday before visiting the US. He discussed the steps to end the war with guaranteed peace for Ukraine and Europe.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine began in 2014, when Moscow annexed Crimea and backed pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed or injured, and millions of civilians have fled as refugees.
**No Territorial Concessions**
Russia has said it will make no territorial concessions to Ukraine as part of a peace deal.
