Zelensky demonstrated the video of his encounter with Western authorities
In a bid to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, President Donald Trump is actively seeking to arrange peace talks involving Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump has expressed optimism about organizing a trilateral summit, but as of mid-August 2025, Putin has not yet agreed to a meeting with Zelensky. The US administration is currently selecting a venue for a potential meeting between the three leaders.
During recent diplomacy, Trump held a summit with Putin in Alaska on August 16, 2025, and met with Zelensky and European leaders at the White House on August 18, 2025. However, no specific dates or locations for a Putin-Zelensky meeting have been set yet.
Russia has been cautious, not confirming a direct Putin-Zelensky meeting but acknowledging discussions about potentially raising the level of representation in peace talks. Moscow insists on involvement in security guarantee discussions, particularly regarding Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, which remains a key contentious issue. Zelensky firmly opposes conceding sovereign territory and emphasizes that Ukraine must make decisions about its land.
The Kremlin has stated that high-level talks should be the final point of resolution, and any other sequence is impossible. Meanwhile, European participants in the talks emphasized that Ukraine's future cannot be discussed without its president.
Trump rated the talks during the online conference "a ten out of ten." However, he warned that the second meeting might not happen if he doesn't get the desired answers and threatened "very serious consequences" for Russia if it does not agree to a ceasefire. Putin has not ruled out a meeting with Zelensky, provided certain conditions are met.
White House officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, highlight that the ultimate goal is a full peace deal to end the war, not merely a ceasefire. They acknowledge the difficulty of the negotiations, as both sides must make concessions, but express hope that Trump's efforts can bring the parties together.
President Zelensky published a video of the virtual conversation on his Telegram channel. The topic of the Putin-Trump summit in Alaska was discussed during the online conference, which took place ahead of the summit between the two leaders.
Russia left without comment the proposal for a three-way summit, which US special envoy Steve Whitcoff put forward in Moscow at the beginning of August. Further steps were coordinated and close contact between Ukraine, Europe, and the US was agreed upon during the meeting.
As the negotiations continue, it remains to be seen whether Trump's efforts will lead to a breakthrough in the long-standing conflict in Ukraine. The key obstacles remain Russia’s demands related to Ukrainian territory and security guarantees. The U.S. and European partners continue supporting Ukraine but stress the need for a negotiated settlement.
The U.S. administration is focusing on politics and general news as they seek to arrange a trilateral summit involving President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to end the war-and-conflicts in Ukraine. Moscow insists on discussions about potential involvement in security guarantee talks, particularly regarding Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, which remains a contentious issue.
