Russia mounts its largest offensive of August against Ukraine following the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting
On Monday, August 18, 2025, a significant meeting took place in Washington, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine hosting European leaders and notable figures such as President Emmanuel Macron of France, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The meeting centred around the discussion of security guarantees for Ukraine, with President Trump stating that the U.S. would provide Ukraine with "very good protection, very good security." However, Trump appeared to drop the idea of a ceasefire after last week's meeting with Putin. In contrast, Zelenskyy and his European partners stressed their desire for a full ceasefire before peace negotiations could take place.
The night before the meeting, Ukraine's air force reported a major Russian attack, with 40 drones and four missiles impacting 16 locations across the country. The largest attack since July 31, 2022, resulted in significant damage, including large-scale fires in the central Poltava region due to strikes on oil refining and gas facilities. Debris from the attacks fell in three locations, and 30 drones and six missiles were intercepted or suppressed by Ukraine.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed it shot down 23 Ukrainian drones overnight into Tuesday morning, with 13 of them downed over the Volgograd region. Russian officials stated that the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine would be unacceptable.
In response to the ongoing conflict, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed doubts about Putin's desire for peace, stating that as long as he thinks he can win through war, he will do so. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, on the other hand, stated that the issue of Ukrainian territorial concessions was not discussed in the meeting.
Trump expressed that he likes the concept of a ceasefire because it would stop killing people immediately. He also stated that Putin, according to him, would accept security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelenskyy thanked Trump for hosting the meeting and for supporting post-war security guarantees.
As the international community continues to monitor the situation, the hope remains for a peaceful resolution and a full ceasefire in Ukraine.
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