Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Russia is showing its first signs of willingness to enter talks on the war in Ukraine after more than three years of stalemate, crediting U.S. President Donald Trump for the shift. “It is an important day — a new phase,” Meloni told Trump during a multilateral gathering at the White House on 18 August. “Something is changing — something has changed — thanks to you,” she added. The remarks came during a meeting that included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders. While Meloni welcomed the prospect of negotiations, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pressed Trump to secure a formal cease-fire from Moscow before any next round of talks. Video from the session showed Meloni appearing visibly frustrated as Merz spoke, underscoring divisions among European capitals over the best path to end the conflict.