Trump, Zelensky, European leaders hold critical Ukraine war talks
Iran Press TV
Monday, 18 August 2025 10:54 PM
US President Donald Trump says he believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine, as he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and his European allies at the White House.
During the meeting with European leaders on Monday, Trump claimed that Putin is prepared to accept security guarantees for Ukraine.
The White House gathering aimed to secure a truce between Ukraine and Russia, just days after Trump's summit with Putin in Alaska, which both leaders described as a positive step towards resolving the conflict.
"President Putin agreed that Russia would accept security guarantees for Ukraine," Trump stated, adding that this is a crucial topic for negotiation.
"I'm optimistic that collectively we can reach an agreement that would deter future aggression against Ukraine," Trump continued.
President Zelensky also attended the meeting and discussed sensitive issues with Trump and European leaders, including security guarantees, humanitarian efforts, and prisoner swaps.
He noted that territorial matters would be addressed in a future trilateral meeting with Putin.
The summit featured prominent European figures, including NATO Chief Mark Rutte, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Macron advocated for a four-way meeting involving Trump, Zelensky, and Putin.
In a one-on-one discussion with Zelensky at the Oval Office, Trump assured him of US support for Ukraine's security in any peace deal, even without a ceasefire.
Zelensky expressed interest in a three-way summit with Moscow and Washington.
Moscow has yet to accept invitations for trilateral talks, and Russian forces continue to advance in eastern Ukraine.
European leaders encouraged Trump to prioritize a ceasefire, but after his discussion with Putin, Trump shifted his focus to a comprehensive peace agreement.
The tone of the meeting between Trump and Zelensky was markedly more positive than their previous encounter in February, which ended with public criticism of Zelensky. This time, Zelensky thanked Trump multiple times, highlighting the importance of US support.
Zelensky appears reluctant to accept Putin's terms, which would require public approval through a referendum.
Trump claimed on Saturday in a post on Truth Social that "it was determined by all" that a direct peace agreement would be preferable, though European leaders have expressed differing views on the matter.
Trump's meeting with European leaders follows his summit with Putin in Alaska on Friday.
According to the sources with direct knowledge of the summit, as a prerequisite for concluding the conflict, Putin insisted on Ukraine's withdrawal from Donbas, which comprises the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces.
Although Luhansk is almost entirely under Russian control, Ukraine still holds key parts of Donetsk, including the cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
Putin told Trump that in exchange for Donetsk and Luhansk, he would halt further advances and freeze the frontline in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, where Russian forces hold significant areas.
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