Image Source: newsweek.com
US President Donald Trump announced on Monday, August 18, that “arrangements” are underway for a face-to-face meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He described the plan as a “very good, early step” toward ending the nearly four-year conflict in Ukraine.
“I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy,” Trump wrote on Trump Social. He added that after the one-on-one meeting, he expects to host a trilateral discussion including both leaders. “After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself,” he said.
Speaking after a White House gathering with European leaders, NATO officials, and Zelenskyy, Trump suggested that peace talks may be progressing. “I had a very good meeting with distinguished guests which ended in a further meeting in the Oval Office,” he said on Truth Social, noting that discussions focused on security guarantees for Ukraine provided by European nations in coordination with Washington. “Everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine,” he added.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Trump paused discussions with European leaders and Zelenskyy to call Putin directly.
Leaders present included French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Trump said Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff are handling logistics with Moscow and Kyiv. “This was a very good, early step for a war that has been going on for almost four years,” he emphasized.
The Kremlin confirmed that Putin thanked Trump for the hospitality and progress made during their Alaska summit. Russian news agencies reported that a Kremlin aide confirmed a 40-minute phone call between the two leaders, during which they supported continued direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations. They also agreed to remain in close contact regarding the Ukraine crisis and other global issues, signaling that Moscow and Washington plan to keep communication open.
Trump said he discussed security guarantees for Ukraine, which Putin agreed to, while rejecting Kyiv’s goal of joining NATO. The guarantees “would be provided by the various European Countries, with a coordination with the United States of America,” Trump added.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte described the White House meeting as “very successful,” saying Trump had “really broken the deadlock.” He noted, “Today was really about security guarantees, the US getting more involved there, and all the details to be hammered out over the coming days.”
Zelenskyy also confirmed that allies would formalize Ukraine’s security guarantees within 10 days.
The presence of European leaders highlighted ongoing concern that Trump might favor Putin, as he has in past discussions. Before the meeting, Trump pushed Ukraine to consider giving up Crimea and abandoning its NATO ambitions—key demands of Putin.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged stronger sanctions against Russia if Putin does not advance peace talks. Finnish President Alexander Stubb warned that Putin was not “to be trusted.” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Ukraine should not be forced to surrender the Donbass region. “The Russian demand that Kyiv give up the free parts of Donbass corresponds, to put it bluntly, to a proposal for the United States to have to give up Florida,” Merz told reporters.
