Tuesday | 19th August 2025
Donald Trump has revealed he is preparing arrangements for a direct meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin, following what he described as “very good” talks at the White House with the Ukrainian president and several European leaders.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte joined Mr. Zelensky for the high-level discussions on how to bring an end to the war in Ukraine and secure a lasting peace.
Trump Signals Breakthrough
Speaking after the summit, Trump said he had already called Putin to begin planning a bilateral meeting with Zelensky, which would later be expanded into a three-way summit including himself. He insisted that Moscow was now willing to consider multinational efforts to provide Ukraine with security guarantees — a significant development in the stalled peace process.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote:
“During the meeting we discussed security guarantees for Ukraine, which would be provided by various European countries, coordinated with the United States of America. Everyone is happy about the possibility of peace for Russia/Ukraine. At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin and began arrangements for a meeting … After the meeting takes place, we will have a trilat which would be the two presidents plus myself.”
Unity Among Leaders
Sir Keir Starmer hailed the summit as evidence of “real progress.” He praised the talks as “good and constructive,” emphasizing that there was a strong sense of unity among European leaders, Trump, and Zelensky.
The Prime Minister outlined two “material outcomes” from the talks. First, a coalition of allies will work directly with the US on delivering security guarantees for Ukraine — which he described as “really important for security in Ukraine, for security in Europe, and for security in the UK.” Second, Trump and Putin agreed to a bilateral meeting with Zelensky, followed by trilateral talks including Trump himself.
“That is a recognition of the principle that, on some of these issues — whether it’s territory, prisoner exchanges, or the very serious question of the return of children — Ukraine must be at the table,” Starmer said. “These are positive outcomes. We’ve made real progress today.”
Alaska Summit and Ceasefire Debate
The White House meeting came days after Trump’s separate encounter with Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, where the two leaders explored possible frameworks for ending more than three years of conflict in eastern Europe.
“The Alaska summit reinforced my belief that while difficult, peace is within reach,” Trump said on Monday. “In a very significant step, President Putin agreed that Russia would accept security guarantees for Ukraine.”
He also suggested that territorial issues and the exchange of occupied land could be on the table, though he stressed that such matters would need careful negotiation.
Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, said Washington had already secured a concession from Moscow that would allow the US to extend “Article 5-like” protection to Ukraine — echoing NATO’s mutual defense pledge — even without Kyiv formally joining the alliance.
Still, Trump’s stance on a ceasefire appeared uncertain. “I don’t think you need a ceasefire,” he initially said, before later clarifying that “all of us would obviously prefer an immediate ceasefire while we work on a lasting peace.”
Humanitarian Questions
The humanitarian dimension of the war also featured prominently. Trump said he raised the issue of missing children in a separate discussion with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Zelensky, responding on X, called the forced deportation of at least 20,000 Ukrainian children “the heart of the war’s humanitarian tragedy.” He vowed to secure the return of those children, alongside a comprehensive “all-for-all” exchange of prisoners of war and civilians detained in Russia.
“Our children, broken families, the pain of separation,” Zelensky wrote. “Thousands of people still need to be freed — and this is part of making peace. We are grateful to have strong friends who help.”
Symbolism and Atmosphere
Trump greeted Zelensky at the West Wing with a handshake, as cameras captured the two leaders’ cordial exchange. The Ukrainian president wore a black blazer and shirt, attire that had previously drawn Trump’s criticism in an earlier meeting, but this time appeared not to overshadow the proceedings.
Zelensky later described the talks as “the best so far,” saying: “We are very happy with the president that all the leaders are here. Security in Ukraine depends on the United States, on you, and on those leaders who are with us in our hearts.”
Looking Ahead
Sir Keir Starmer called the trilateral format a “sensible next step” to resolve difficult issues such as territory, prisoners, and humanitarian concerns. “If we can ensure that today’s progress leads both to security guarantees and a trilateral meeting that addresses these challenges, then this will be remembered as a very important day in recent years,” he said.
The PA news agency reported that Starmer had interrupted his holiday over the weekend to join preparatory calls with Trump and Zelensky before traveling to Washington.
With Trump now pledging direct involvement in the peace process, and Moscow signaling potential acceptance of multinational security guarantees, leaders left the White House cautiously optimistic that a path to peace — however fragile — might finally be taking shape.
