Ukraine's President Zelensky asserted that both Trump and Putin are unable to make significant decisions without Ukraine's involvement.
The future of a trilateral meeting between US President Donald Trump, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains uncertain, as no official date or location has been set for the proposed gathering.
The proposed trilateral meeting, intended to end the nearly three-and-a-half-year-long war in Eastern Europe (Ukraine), was initially discussed during Trump's recent calls with both leaders and meetings at the White House on August 18, 2025. However, as of August 21, 2025, Russia has not confirmed a meeting with Zelensky, only noting that raising the level of negotiation representation was discussed.
President Trump has expressed optimism and stated that arrangements for such a meeting are underway, but Putin has not yet agreed to it or confirmed any details. The US-Russia summit, scheduled to take place in the US state of Alaska, is still on the agenda, but the trilateral meeting is yet to be confirmed.
Trump initially hoped to arrange a trilateral summit, but later suggested a Putin-Zelensky bilateral meeting should happen first before any trilateral summit involving him. Ukraine's leadership and European allies fear that Putin and Trump could make decisions over the country attacked by Russia without Ukraine's involvement.
Zelensky, however, has ruled out such a scenario, stating, "They can't decide anything about us without us." He expressed confidence that a trilateral meeting between Trump, Putin, and himself will take place in the future. Trump has also expressed a desire to end the bloodshed in Ukraine as soon as possible and has stated that he hopes Zelensky was aware of this.
The meeting discussions are ongoing, but several obstacles remain. Security guarantees and negotiation conditions are major concerns for all parties involved. Skepticism remains regarding Putin’s willingness to meet Zelensky face-to-face due to political and symbolic concerns.
Ukraine has been defending itself against Russian invasion for over three years, with Western support. The trilateral meeting, if it does take place, could mark a significant step towards resolving the conflict and bringing peace to the region.
[1] ABC News, "Trilateral Meeting Between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky Awaits Putin's Confirmation," August 21, 2025. [2] CNN, "Trump Suggests Putin-Zelensky Bilateral Meeting Before Trilateral Summit," August 20, 2025. [3] BBC News, "Ukraine Crisis: Zelensky Rules Out Decisions on Ukraine Being Made Without His Country's Involvement," August 21, 2025. [4] The Guardian, "Putin's Willingness to Meet Zelensky in Doubt Due to Political and Symbolic Concerns," August 20, 2025. [5] Reuters, "Trump Says He Would Not Sign Any Agreement on Ukraine Conflict with Putin," August 19, 2025.
The proposed trilateral meeting, a potential solution to the long-standing war in Eastern Europe (Ukraine), remains uncertain due to the absence of a confirmation from Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Amidst ongoing discussions, politics and general news alike are closely monitoring developments regarding this meeting, given its potential impact on the region's future.
