Washington: US President Donald Trump has pledged American support to help guarantee Ukraine’s security in any future peace agreement with Russia, though the scope of the assistance remained unclear.
Trump made the commitment during a high-profile White House summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and a contingent of European leaders, just days after Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
“When it comes to security, there’s going to be a lot of help,” Trump told reporters, stressing that European allies would also shoulder responsibility as Ukraine’s first line of defence.
Zelenskiy described the commitment as a major step forward, adding that guarantees could be formalized within the next 10 days. He also said Kyiv had offered to purchase roughly $90 billion in US weapons as part of long-term defence cooperation.
“Everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine. At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting…” – President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/avDo5j39F9
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 18, 2025
The tone contrasted sharply with a bruising Oval Office meeting in February, when Trump and Vice President JD Vance openly criticized Zelenskiy. On Monday, the two leaders projected unity, with Trump greeting Zelenskiy warmly and offering public words of affection for the Ukrainian people.
Despite the cordial atmosphere in Washington, prospects for a peace deal remain distant. Shortly before the summit began, Russia’s Foreign Ministry rejected the possibility of NATO troops being deployed to enforce a settlement, complicating Trump’s security assurances.
Trump later revealed that he had spoken with Putin and was arranging direct talks between the Russian leader and Zelenskiy, with Hungary floated as a possible venue. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the meeting could occur within two weeks. If confirmed, it would mark the first direct contact between the two presidents since Russia spurned talks in Turkey in June.
European leaders who rushed to Washington urged Trump to demand a ceasefire before further talks advance. French President Emmanuel Macron and Merz both argued that halting hostilities must be a prerequisite for progress.
.@POTUS outlines the points that will be discussed in today’s meeting with President Zelensky and European leaders, including potential security guarantees and territorial exchanges: “I’m optimistic that, collectively, we can reach an agreement.” pic.twitter.com/Eljuv3q6wp
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 18, 2025
Trump, however, appeared to shift closer to Moscow’s position, saying that while he welcomed the idea of a ceasefire, negotiations could proceed even as fighting continued. “I wish they could stop, I’d like them to stop,” he said, adding that a pause could strategically disadvantage one side or the other.
Trump has pressed for a swift resolution to Europe’s deadliest war in 80 years, raising concerns in Kyiv and among allies that Washington might accept terms favoring Moscow. He has signaled that Ukraine may need to abandon ambitions to join NATO and relinquish its claim to Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014.
Putin’s latest proposals reportedly include Ukrainian recognition of Russian control over parts of eastern Donetsk, an offer Zelenskiy has largely dismissed. Any territorial concessions, Ukrainian officials insist, would require a public referendum.
The conflict, now in its fourth year, has killed or wounded more than a million people, including thousands of Ukrainian civilians, and devastated much of the country’s east.
