President: I View Trump-Putin Meeting as Crucial Step Towards Seeking Peace

Bratislava, 16 August (TASR) - I view the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as a significant international step on the path to seeking lasting and sustainable peace in Ukraine, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini said on Saturday in reaction to Friday's summit in Alaska. "Although it failed to bring concrete results, I find it most important that it took place and opened the door to further negotiations, including with the direct participation of Ukraine. The atmosphere of mutual respect in which the presidential summit was held is a good prerequisite for the talks to continue and lead to the most important goal, which is to end the war in Ukraine, to stop the killing and suffering of innocent victims," stated Pellegrini. Trump and Putin met in Alaska on Friday (15 August) to discuss the war in Ukraine and the possible ways of ending it. On Saturday, Trump informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO leaders about the results of his meeting with Putin. ko