President Donald Trump Monday held a vital assembly with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a united entrance of European allies after his Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin.
With Trump adopting Russian factors that Ukraine ought to cede land for a peace deal, Zelenskyy was anticipated to hunt to get the U.S. again on board together with his personal earlier settlement with Western allies {that a} ceasefire is required earlier than any negotiations.
Trump diplomatically advised Zelenskyy he’s looking for a path to peace after warmly greeting Zelenskyy within the Oval Workplace.
“The war is going to end,” he stated. “The whole world is tired of it…and we all want it to end.”
He politely chatted with Zelenskyy, who wore a proper all-black military-style swimsuit outfit and saved his cool, in a stark distinction to their indignant blow up in February.
Trump refused to rule out the opportunity of western and even American peacekeepers on the bottom to implement a potential peace deal.
He held out the opportunity of a three-way assembly with Putin in coming days, and stated he deliberate to replace the Kremlin strongman after the talks have been performed.
“We depend on the help of big countries like the United States,” Zelenskyy stated.
A high-powered delegation of European leaders, together with the leaders of the UK, France, Germany and Italy, jetted into Washington and paraded to the White Home in hopes of pulling Trump again into the fold after he instructed Ukraine might cease the battle anytime by agreeing to Russia’s calls for.
Ukraine countered that the west wants to make use of its energy to cease Putin in his tracks earlier than Russia makes use of any ceded territory as a “springboard” for additional assaults.
“…Russia should not be rewarded for its participation in this war. The war must be ended,” Zelenskyy posted on X earlier than assembly Trump.”And it’s Moscow that should hear the phrase: ‘cease.’”
Zelenskyy and the European allies are hoping to keep away from a repeat of the ugly conflict on the White Home in February when an indignant Trump successfully branded him as the primary impediment to peace.
Since then, Trump shifted to demanding that each Russia and Ukraine comply with a right away ceasefire. He threatened sanctions in opposition to Russian buying and selling companions and even stated the Friday summit can be a failure if he didn’t persuade Putin to cease the combating and finish the punishing aerial assaults on Ukrainian civilians.
However on the summit in Anchorage, Trump caved to Putin’s hardline refusal to simply accept a ceasefire till Ukraine agrees to cede much more than the roughly 20% of the nation it has already occupied in the course of the brutal 3-1/2 12 months invasion.
He explicitly helps the Russian calls for for recognition of its management over the occupied province of Crimea and a assure that Ukraine gained’t ever be a part of NATO. The president additionally instructed he agrees with the concept of Ukraine handing over elements of the Donbas area that it has defended at the price of tens of hundreds of lives.
Ukraine doesn’t need to comply with any recognition of Russian dominion over occupied lands, however may settle for a freezing of the efficient border alongside the present army entrance traces operating via 4 southeastern provinces.
It additionally needs some sort of ironclad Western safety ensures to forestall Russia from launching new assaults sooner or later to grab much more of the nation.
The European political heavy-hitters are scrambling to safeguard Ukraine’s future and defend the continent from any widening aggression from Moscow.
The outstanding present of unity is an indication of their concern over coming over the outcomes of the Alaska summit, which many see as a transparent win for Putin as a result of he gained Trump over with out making any concessions.
French President Emmanuel Macron described Ukraine as an “outpost of our collective defense.”
“If we are weak with Russia today, we’ll be preparing the conflicts of tomorrow and they will impact the Ukrainians and — make no mistake — they can impact us, too.” Macron stated.
Initially Revealed: August 18, 2025 at 9:27 AM EDT
