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Trump, Zelenskyy and European Leaders Meet at White House to Explore Trilateral Talks With Putin

A warmer tone masked unresolved divides over ceasefire preconditions, territorial concessions, security guarantees.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy gestures during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the Oval Office of the White House, amid negotiations to end the Russian war in Ukraine, in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 18, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump meet in the Oval Office of the White House.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump shake hands during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 18, 2025.

Overview

  • Trump said he would call Vladimir Putin after the meetings and raised the prospect of a three‑way summit to pursue a peace deal.
  • The president dropped a requirement for a ceasefire before negotiations, diverging from European and Ukrainian preferences for securing a truce first.
  • Trump voiced openness to U.S. and European security guarantees for Ukraine, saying Putin agreed to the concept in Alaska, with details and any U.S. troop role left unresolved.
  • The Kremlin labeled NATO troop presence in Ukraine a non‑starter, complicating Article‑5‑style protections or a European‑led peacekeeping mission.
  • No concrete agreement emerged on territory, sanctions or guarantees, and European leaders pressed to keep Kyiv central to any next‑step talks.