Russia facing "intensified pressure" from Merz
The White House played host to a high-profile meeting in August 2025, bringing together Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, key European leaders, and U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss peace efforts and security guarantees for Ukraine.
At the centre of the negotiations was President Trump, who hosted the summit and engaged directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin via a 40-minute phone briefing during the meeting. Trump advocated for a peace deal approach that required concessions from both Russia and Ukraine, proposing that Zelenskyy meet Putin before any trilateral talks.
Zelenskyy attended the summit as the primary Ukrainian leader seeking security assurances and a peaceful resolution to the war. He reportedly regarded this White House meeting as one of his best with Trump, underscoring the importance of the negotiations.
Among the European leaders present was the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz. Merz publicly compared Russia’s demand that Ukraine cede the free parts of Donbass to the United States giving up Florida, underscoring strong opposition to territorial concessions demanded by Russia. Merz and other European leaders like Italian Prime Minister Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also advocated for security guarantees for Ukraine akin to NATO's collective-defense principle.
The gathering was hailed by various observers as a potential turning point toward ending the war, with strong support for a peace framework that involves security guarantees and continuation of advanced weapons supplies to Ukraine to pressure Russia.
In the aftermath of the summit, it was announced that Ukraine and the US plan to sign an agreement worth $50 billion for the joint production of drones with Ukrainian companies. Furthermore, there will be further talks with the Europeans in a possibly different format.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for European representatives to be involved in future talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the US. Macron suggested a four-way meeting between the US, Ukraine, Russia, and Europe for future discussions on security guarantees.
Before further talks, Merz stated that there must be a ceasefire. He also expressed his intention to exert pressure on Russia together with the other heads of state. The details of the phone call between Trump and Putin, including its content and outcome, are not currently known.
The prospect of peace remains "very good," as stated earlier by all participants. However, Merz is sure that the next steps will be more complicated. It is yet to be confirmed whether the meeting will continue in its initially planned three-way format.
References: 1. Reuters 2. BBC News 3. The New York Times 4. The Washington Post
- The discussions at the White House meeting in August 2025 centered on community policies, specifically those related to employment, as they were a crucial part of the proposed peace deal for Ukraine, requiring concessions from both Ukraine and Russia.
- The gathering also delved into general news topics, including politics and war-and-conflicts, as various leaders expressed their opinions on territorial concessions, security guarantees, and advanced weapons supplies to Ukraine.
