Trump is hosting Zelensky and European leaders at the White House. What the media is writing
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- Trump is hosting Zelensky and European leaders at the White House. What the media is writing
On August 18, US President Donald Trump will receive Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders who arrived with him at the White House. The day before, Trump attacked Zelensky, calling him capable of immediately stopping the conflict with Russia. European politicians fear a repeat of Zelensky's last visit to Washington. What the media write about the upcoming meeting is in the Izvestia digest.
Financial Times: Zelensky's goal will be a freeze on the front line
Zelensky will visit the Oval Office to participate in one of the most important meetings during his presidency.: He will have the opportunity to reset relations with Donald Trump, achieve a fair end to the conflict with Russia, and consolidate U.S. guarantees regarding Ukraine's future security. Zelensky should also avoid repeating the situation that developed during his last meeting at the White House, when Vice President Jay D. Vance chastised the Ukrainian leader in front of the cameras.
Financial Times
A senior Ukrainian official close to the president said Zelensky's goal at the meeting would be to establish "a productive peaceful settlement process without forcing Ukraine to take impossible steps such as withdrawing troops" from Donetsk and Luhansk. To do this, the Ukrainian president is ready to make an "acceptable compromise" on the current front line, which will suit the Ukrainians, the official said.
Leaders such as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will join the talks. Zelensky welcomed the US support for security guarantees, but noted that they should be "very practical, ensuring security on land, in the air and at sea, and should be implemented with the participation of Europe." At the same time, Zelensky outlined a "red line": not to give up territories under the direct control of Ukraine.
Politico: Trump puts pressure on Zelensky
Trump blamed Zelensky for ending the conflict with Russia before their meeting in Washington. This was in sharp contrast to the solemn atmosphere in which he had received Russian President Vladimir Putin a few days earlier. On the eve of Monday's talks, in a post on the Truth Social website, Trump took a potentially tense tone at a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart.
Politico
"President Zelensky of Ukraine can almost immediately stop the <military operation> with Russia, if he wants, or continue the fight,— Trump wrote. — Remember how it all started. Obama will not be returned, given the Crimea (12 years ago, without a single shot!), and Ukraine will not be able to JOIN NATO. Some things never change!!!"
The media reported that Trump announced Putin's agreement to the deal if Ukraine handed over its easternmost region of Donbass, including parts not controlled by Russia. Zelensky had previously warned that this would mean Ukraine losing key defensive positions and making it more vulnerable to Russian attacks in the future. European leaders fear Monday's summit could be a repeat of Zelensky's winter visit to the Oval Office, when Trump and Vance publicly caught the Ukrainian leader off guard.
The New York Times: Zelensky is taking a support team to Washington
A number of European prime ministers and presidents will fly to Washington to make sure that a viable and defensible Ukraine will survive, no matter what division of its territory may take place at the negotiating table. But they are also there to ensure the integrity of the transatlantic alliance. Trump's instant rejection of the crucial issue of a cease-fire before negotiations on land or security guarantees shocked many of them and made them wonder if Trump had succumbed to Putin's persuasions.
The New York Times
According to most, European officials want to make sure that Trump does not get too close to Russia and does not try to push Zelensky into a deal that will eventually sow the seeds of Ukraine's disintegration. They also want to protect themselves from the risk that the United States, which has been the linchpin of European security since the creation of NATO in 1949, could undermine this interest.
Von der Leyen stressed the importance of security guarantees for Ukraine and respect for its territory. However, she also stated the paramount importance of "stopping the killings" and called for early negotiations between the presidents of Russia, Ukraine and the United States. One senior European diplomat spoke about the panic among European allies. The diplomat had not seen a meeting like the one scheduled for Monday held so quickly since the start of the Iraq war.
Associated Press: Witkoff announced Putin's agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine
Trump's special representative Stephen Witkoff said that Russian leader Vladimir Putin agreed at the Alaska summit that the United States and its European allies could offer Ukraine security guarantees resembling the NATO collective defense mandate as part of a possible agreement to end the conflict. He noted that "this is the first time we have heard that the Russians have agreed to this," and called it a "turning point."
Associated Press
"We managed to achieve the following concession: the United States could offer protection similar to Article 5, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO," Witkoff said. He did not disclose details about how such a scheme would work. But it seems to be a major step forward for Putin and could be a solution to his deep—rooted rejection of Ukraine's eventual membership in NATO, a step Kiev has long sought.
This topic is expected to become a key one when Zelensky and leading European leaders meet with Trump at the White House. Article 5, which is the basis of the transatlantic military alliance, which unites 32 countries, states that an armed attack on a member State is considered an attack on everyone. Utikoff also said that Russia had agreed to adopt a law stating that it would not "persecute other European countries and violate their sovereignty."
NBC News: Rubio does not rule out a cease-fire agreement
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that an interim ceasefire agreement between Ukraine and Russia is "not out of the question," although the leaders of the United States, Ukraine and Russia agree that the best outcome is a peace agreement that ends the conflict forever. Earlier, after the Alaska summit, Trump said that a peace agreement should be concluded first.
NBC News
"Everyone agreed that the best way to end this conflict is to conclude a full—fledged peace treaty," Rubio said. — There is no doubt about it. Who would object to us coming to you tomorrow and saying, "We have a full-fledged peace treaty, and everything is ready"? I think this is the best way to put an end to the <military operation>. As for the need for a cease-fire on the way there, we advocate it. Unfortunately, the Russians have not agreed to this yet."
Rubio also spoke about the Trump administration's decision not to impose new sanctions against Russia while negotiations are underway to end the conflict. According to him, the new sanctions will not force Moscow to agree to a cease-fire, as it is already "under very tough sanctions." Rubio did not comment on what the role of the United States might be in potential security guarantees, although Trump argued that a potential peace agreement would not include a path to Ukraine joining NATO.
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