Trump and Zelensky: The Two Leaders Implicated in a Scandal Involving a Phone Call
In mid-August 2025, a significant diplomatic event took place at the White House as President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for discussions. The meeting, which concluded on August 18, was part of an attempt to mediate peace in the ongoing Ukrainian conflict and propose a trilateral summit involving Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The open part of the meeting in the Oval Office lasted slightly over half an hour, during which Zelensky stated that his country needs American weapons, intelligence, and instructors. Trump responded that NATO countries should pay for American weapons. The discussion focused on resolving the Ukrainian conflict and the possibility of a trilateral summit involving Russia.
Photos of the talks, as well as a group photo with Trump, Zelensky, Emmanuel Macron, Ursula von der Leyen, Giorgia Meloni, and Jens Stoltenberg, are available in the gallery. Trump was also photographed conversing with Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak, and in a press conference with Zelensky in the Oval Office.
However, the proposed trilateral summit did not come to fruition. Russian President Vladimir Putin laid out maximalist peace terms during a summit with Trump, demanding that Ukraine fully withdraw from two eastern regions (Donetsk and Luhansk) claimed by Russia, and freeze front lines in two others (Kherson and Zaporizhzhia). Putin's demands were met with skepticism by Ukrainian officials and analysts, who expressed doubt that Putin would agree to meet Zelensky.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that no such face-to-face meeting was planned, accusing Zelensky of refusing to make concessions. Trump acknowledged continued conversations with Putin but indicated Putin's unwillingness to negotiate directly with Zelensky, saying Putin "doesn’t like him" and is reluctant to treat Zelensky as an equal. Despite this, Trump remained optimistic about reaching a peace settlement.
The fighting and military actions continued on the ground, indicating no ceasefire was reached around the time of these diplomatic efforts. Ultimately, no trilateral summit involving all three leaders took place, with diplomacy limited to indirect talks and preparatory meetings. Putin’s maximalist conditions and reluctance to negotiate directly with Zelensky formed major obstacles.
In summary, the proposed trilateral summit was part of an attempt by Trump and European leaders to mediate peace, but Russian demands and Putin’s refusal to meet Zelensky prevented the summit from happening, and the conflict on the ground continued despite these diplomatic efforts.
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