National Guard troops in DC are now armed, defense official says

President Donald Trump said he will call Russian President Vladimir Putin after his meetings Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House.

"We're going to have a phone call right after these meetings today, and we may or may not have a trilat. And if we don't have a trilat, then the fighting continues. And if we do, we have a good chance -- I think if we have a trilat that there's a good chance of maybe ending it," Trump said.

"But he's expecting my call when we're finished with this meeting," Trump added of Putin.

President Donald Trump continues to be vague on the details of any possible security guarantees, saying the U.S. will support Ukraine but stopping short of the "Article 5-like protection" floated over the weekend by White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.

"We're going to be discussing it today, but we will give them very good protection, very good security. That's part of it," Trump said.

Trump and Zelenskyy will meet with European leaders after their Oval Office talks.

After previously pushing for a ceasefire and threatening severe consequences for Russia if President Vladimir Putin did not stop the war, President Trump on Monday appeared to back off that demand.

"I don't think you need a ceasefire," he said when asked about whether his previous call for a ceasefire had changed. "I know that it might be good to have, but I can also understand strategically, like, well, you know, one country or the other wouldn't want it."

He continued that he likes "the concept of a ceasefire for one reason, because you'd stop killing people immediately."

"But we can work a deal where we're working on a peace deal while they're fighting," he said.

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Trump walks back Russia-Ukraine ceasefire demand After previously pushing for a ceasefire and threatening severe consequences for Russia if President Vladimir Putin did not stop the war, President Trump on Monday appeared to back off that demand.

ABCNews.com

President Donald Trump on Monday again pushed for a trilateral meeting between the U.S., Russia and Ukraine -- which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was ready for.

"I think we'll have everything works out well today, we'll have a trilat," Trump said. "And I think there will be a reasonable chance of ending the war when we do that."