President Donald Trump signaled that he wants Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet “almost immediately” with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following Trump’s upcoming
summit with Putin in Alaska. Trump suggested that his talks with Putin would “set the table” for such a meeting, which he might also attend.
On Aug. 13, Trump joined a virtual call with Zelenskyy and European leaders, just two days before his one-on-one meeting with Putin. He described the call as “very friendly” and rated it “a 10.” The discussions come as Trump attempts to push Moscow toward a peace deal—one Kyiv and its allies fear could involve Ukraine ceding significant territory seized by Russia in its three-year war.
Trump warned there would be “very severe consequences” if Putin refuses to end the war, including the possibility of new sanctions and tariffs. He has also floated the controversial idea of a “land swap,” in which Ukraine would give up territory to Russia—something Zelenskyy said would violate Ukraine’s constitution.
The Aug. 13 virtual conference, hosted by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, included leaders from Finland, France, the U.K., Italy, Poland, the European Union, NATO, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance. European leaders have strongly opposed any peace agreement reached without Ukraine’s direct participation. French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Merz reaffirmed that stance in a joint statement.
Zelenskyy, speaking afterward on X, stressed that talks about Ukraine’s future “must be conducted together with Ukraine and Europe” and called for strong security guarantees, writing: “Pressure on Russia works. Peace has no alternative.”
The White House has sought to manage expectations ahead of Trump’s Aug. 15 meeting with Putin—the first between a U.S. president and the Russian leader since 2021. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the summit as “a listening exercise” aimed at gaining a clearer understanding of potential paths to ending the war. Photo by White House Rapid Response, Wikimedia commons.
