In a day of extensive diplomacy at the White House, US President Donald Trump held urgent talks Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders, including France’s Macron, UK’s Starmer and EU’s von der Leyen, aiming to jumpstart peace negotiations to end the long-drawn, bloody war in Ukraine.
Here’s what stood out from the high-stakes meetings in Washington, DC that took place just days after Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
1. Security Guarantees Take Center Stage
One of the biggest focuses of the talks was long-term security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump suggested that while European nations would take the lead, the US wouldn’t necessarily be on the sidelines, even leaving the door open to sending American troops as part of a peacekeeping role, CNN reported Monday.
“President Putin agreed that Russia would accept security guarantees for Ukraine,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “And this is one of the key points that we need to consider… I’m optimistic that, collectively, we can reach an agreement that would deter any future aggression against Ukraine.”
Trump later wrote in a post on Truth Social that “guarantees would be provided by the various European Countries, with a coordination with the United States of America.”
2. Trump Still Hoping for a Trilateral Meeting
Trump remains keen on arranging a face-to-face meet that would include him, Putin and Zelenskyy, since he he believes that could be the key to ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
“We may or may not have a trilat,” he told reporters, adding, “If we don’t… the fighting continues. And if we do, we have a good chance.”
In another post on social media following the crucial Monday meetings, Trump said, “At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting… between President Putin and President Zelenskyy… After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat.”
Reports suggest French President Emmanuel Macron had floated the idea of a quadrilateral format, but Trump doesn’t seem to have acknowledged that publicly.
President Donald J. Trump hosts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and European allies at the White House for a multilateral meeting on peace talks.
“We have had a very successful day so far. We are all working for the same goal. We want to stop the killing and resolve this.” pic.twitter.com/qVxIStibBE
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 18, 2025
3. No Ceasefire, for Now
Despite earlier promises, Trump appears to have either reversed stance or slowed course on calling for an immediate ceasefire.
“All of us would obviously prefer an immediate ceasefire while we work on a lasting peace,” Trump said, adding, “As of this moment, it’s not happening.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, for his part, urged Trump to reconsider, reportedly saying, “I can’t imagine the next meeting will take place without a ceasefire.”
Responding to Merz, the US President reportedly said, “If we can get a ceasefire, great.”
4. A Warmer Tone in the Room
Compared to their rather heated Oval Office exchange earlier this year, Zelenskyy’s meeting with Trump — unlike the one in February — was much smoother this time. The Ukrainian President opened his remarks with a warm, carefully crafted message: “Thank you for invitation, and thank you very much for your efforts, personal efforts, to stop killings and stop this war. Thank you… many thanks to your wife.”
He even wore a suit instead of his usual military attire, which many viewed as a nod to Trump’s earlier complaints. The Oval Office had a sense of calm, with top Trump allies, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio also in attendance.
5. European Leaders Racing to Align With Trump
European leaders rushed to Washington in a rare show of unity driven by a sense of urgency. Observers believe most diplomats couldn’t recall another instance where world leaders cleared their schedules so abruptly.
Analysts say the motivation behind was to align with Trump and avoid being sidelined, especially with regard to security of Europe on the whole.
“When we speak about security guarantees, we speak about the whole security of the European continent,” Macron had said ahead of the meeting.
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