Washington, DC – United States President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several top European leaders at the White House on Monday, in his latest bid to broker an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The meeting came days after Trump’s high-profile summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where Moscow dismissed calls for a ceasefire and insisted that Kyiv cede parts of its eastern territory in exchange for halting advances elsewhere.
Trump described the White House discussions as “very successful,” stressing that Washington and Europe were united in seeking to end the conflict. He later announced plans to arrange a direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, though no date or venue has been set.
Today, important negotiations took place in Washington. We discussed many issues with President Trump. It was a long and detailed conversation, including discussions about the situation on the battlefield and our steps to bring peace closer. There were also several meetings in a… pic.twitter.com/YqkdRlyKCI
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 19, 2025
Trump vowed that Ukraine would receive strong security guarantees as part of any eventual deal. “There’s going to be a lot of help,” he said, noting that European leaders were prepared to step up military assistance. He added that US support for Kyiv would continue regardless of the outcome of the talks.
Zelenskyy welcomed the pledge, calling it “a major step forward.” The Ukrainian leader later revealed his government was seeking to purchase roughly $90bn worth of American weapons.
Trump appeared to downplay the need for an immediate truce, arguing that peace talks could continue while fighting persisted. “I don’t think you need a ceasefire,” he said, adding that in past negotiations he had struck deals while conflicts were ongoing.
That stance contrasted sharply with several European leaders. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he “can’t imagine” further talks without a ceasefire, while French President Emmanuel Macron called for a “robust and longstanding peace” and even suggested that peacekeepers might be required on the ground. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte emphasized halting civilian deaths and infrastructure destruction as the immediate priority.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine was prepared to hold elections if security conditions allowed. “We need a truce to make it possible for people to do democratic, open, legal elections,” he said. Asked about the guarantees required from Washington, he answered: “everything” — from weapons and training to intelligence-sharing.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed the importance of securing the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia and Belarus, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni underscored the need for assurances that Moscow could not reignite the war.
Following the talks, Trump posted on social media that he had spoken to Putin about convening a summit with Zelenskyy. He also said Russia had indicated openness to discussing security guarantees for Ukraine, though territorial concessions remain a likely sticking point.
European Council President Antonio Costa said EU leaders would hold a video call on Tuesday to assess the outcome of the Washington meetings.
Russia currently controls about a fifth of Ukraine’s territory. Any peace deal, Trump said, would ultimately hinge on decisions made “by President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine, working also in agreement with President Putin.”
