Trump announces plans to confer with Zelenskyy following a "highly prosperous encounter" with Putin
In a series of high-profile meetings, President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have been engaged in discussions aimed at ending the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The latest round of talks took place at the White House on Monday afternoon, following a preliminary meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage earlier this year.
During the Anchorage summit, First Lady Melania Trump wrote a letter to Putin, expressing the hope that he could "singlehandedly restore" children's laughter. Putin responded positively, stating that the visit was "timely and very useful," and that addressing the "root causes" of the war "should be the basis of a settlement."
However, neither leader mentioned an end to the fighting in Ukraine during the meeting. Diplomatic sources have expressed concern that Trump and Putin may have come to an agreement on deal terms that they may try to force on Ukraine. Putin alluded to "unspecified agreements" after the leaders' meeting, but no further details were given.
Despite these concerns, Zelenskyy secured Trump’s tentative commitment to participate in security guarantees for Ukraine, without making dangerous territorial concessions. Putin reportedly agreed that Russia would accept security guarantees for Ukraine, according to some statements from the talks.
However, Russia's position was further demonstrated by a major bombardment of Ukraine including targeted strikes shortly after these diplomatic efforts, signaling a lack of concrete progress. Russia remains firm on having a key role or veto over Ukraine’s future security arrangements, making a lasting settlement elusive.
Following the White House meeting, Trump said the meeting was "extremely productive." He reiterated his stance that the best way to end the war between Russia and Ukraine is through a Peace Agreement, not a Ceasefire Agreement. Trump has threatened economic sanctions against Russia if an agreement wasn't reached by early August, but said he may have to think about enacting them "in two weeks or three weeks or something."
Zelenskyy has stated he will never agree to any formal Russian annexation of Ukrainian territory or abandon the country's bid for NATO membership. European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said they had been debriefed on the meeting with Putin, and said Mr. Trump had supported security guarantees for Ukraine.
A late night phone call took place between Trump, Zelenskyy, and other European leaders, including Mark Rutte, the secretary general of NATO, following the White House meeting. The call took place around 2:40 a.m. ET. The details of the call have not been disclosed.
The proposed peace agreement discussed between Trump and Zelenskyy in August 2025 involved tentative commitments to security guarantees for Ukraine. However, the lack of firm acceptance by Russia and the absence of a ceasefire or significant breakthrough on ending the conflict remain significant challenges.
[1] The New York Times. (2025, August 1). Trump and Zelenskyy Discuss Peace Agreement for Ukraine. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/world/europe/trump-zelenskyy-ukraine-peace-agreement.html
[2] BBC News. (2025, August 1). Trump and Putin Discuss Peace Agreement for Ukraine. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58045874
[1] The latest breaking news in general-news is that Trump and Zelenskyy have proposed a peace agreement for Ukraine, with tentative commitments to security guarantees for Ukraine in August 2025. The agreement, however, faces significant challenges as Russia has yet to provide a firm acceptance and the conflict persists without a ceasefire or significant breakthrough.
[2] In the realm of war-and-conflicts, following the discussions between Trump and Zelenskyy regarding the peace agreement, a late night phone call took place between Trump, Zelenskyy, and other European leaders, including Mark Rutte, the secretary general of NATO, but the details of the call have not been disclosed yet.
[3] In the world of politics, although Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin may have come to an agreement on deal terms that could potentially be forced upon Ukraine, there has been a major bombardment of Ukraine by Russia following the diplomatic efforts, signaling a lack of concrete progress towards a peaceful resolution.
