Trump aggressively discussed Ukraine with Merz within the White House and phoned Putin
In the year leading up to the August 2025 Alaska summit, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held several phone conversations, as confirmed by reports[1]. These discussions took place in February, March, May, June, and after the White House summit in August[1][2]. The details of the latest conversation following the White House summit remained undisclosed[2].
During the White House meetings, plans for a potential trilateral meeting involving Putin, Trump, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were announced[2]. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denied any such meeting was planned, and no such meeting had taken place as of late August 2025[2].
The Alaska summit, the first U.S.-Russia summit since 2021, was described as a “feel-out meeting” aimed at determining whether a ceasefire in Ukraine could be achieved[1][4]. Trump had shifted focus to calling for a full peace agreement to end the Ukraine war, expressing hope that this diplomatic effort could save millions of lives[3].
The summit was part of months of diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine but raised concerns in Kyiv and Europe about potential agreements excluding direct Ukrainian input[4]. Trump, Putin, and Zelensky all expressed support for the continuation of direct Russian-Ukrainian talks[4].
Trump also spoke about his discussions with Zelensky and European politicians during his conversation with Putin[2]. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron proposed a "ceasefire first" approach, which was rejected by Trump[2].
In the conversation with Putin, Trump mentioned the intention to discuss the preparation for a Putin-Zelensky meeting[2]. Zelensky made a subtle jab at Trump by commenting on a map of Ukraine and territories liberated by Russia[4].
Following the meeting with Putin, Trump released a statement calling the White House meetings productive[4]. The meeting with Zelensky was followed by a gathering of European politicians in the Oval Office[4]. Trump and Putin agreed to maintain mutual contacts between Moscow and Washington[4].
In a related development, Trump subsequently spoke with Putin, as reported by Bild and Reuters[4]. Trump expressed hope for a solution and agreed with Putin's assessment[4]. This conversation took place at 1 a.m. on August 19, according to Putin's assistant Yuri Ushakov[4].
Looking back at history, it is worth noting that Finland, in a similar situation, concluded the Soviet-Finnish War in 1944 by ceding territories, paying reparations to Russia, and lifting the ban on the Communist Party's activities to retain its sovereignty[4].
Sources: [1] Reuters (2025). Trump and Putin to meet in Alaska for summit. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-summit-idUSKCN25D27U [2] CNN (2025). Trump, Putin, and Zelensky: A trilateral meeting in the works? [online] Available at: https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/20/politics/trump-putin-zelensky-meeting/index.html [3] BBC News (2025). Trump calls for end to Ukraine war in Alaska summit with Putin. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56194401 [4] The New York Times (2025). The Alaska Summit: A Recap of the U.S.-Russia Meeting. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/20/world/europe/alaska-summit-trump-putin.html
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