Trump and Zelensky Hold White House Summit
Trump on Possible U.S. Troop Deployment: "We Will Be Involved"
"If All Goes Well Today, a Trilateral Summit Will Be Held"
On August 18 (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed the United States' commitment to directly participate in providing future security guarantees for Ukraine as part of efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that preparations for a trilateral summit to achieve a ceasefire have been completed.
During a summit with President Zelensky at the White House that day, President Trump responded to questions from reporters about possible future security guarantees, including the potential deployment of U.S. troops in Ukraine, by saying, "Europe is the first line of defense, but we will help them. We will be involved."
He went on to say, "We will provide very good protection and security for Ukraine," explaining that he would discuss the matter in a series of meetings scheduled with European leaders that day. He also emphasized, "Europe is very strongly committed to providing protection," and added, "It is extremely important that we help them."
Ukraine and Europe have been demanding strong security guarantees involving the United States as a condition for ending the war. Although President Trump maintains that Ukraine's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is "not possible," he has not ruled out the possibility of stationing U.S. troops, signaling a willingness to participate in security guarantees. As such, attention is focused on whether this could provide a breakthrough in ceasefire negotiations.
President Trump also reaffirmed his intention to pursue a trilateral summit involving the United States, Russia, and Ukraine if the day's talks were successful. He stated, "If everything goes well today, we will hold a trilateral summit," adding, "We will cooperate with everyone, and once peace is achieved, we will ensure it can be sustained in the long term."
He also mentioned that after meetings with President Zelensky and European leaders, he plans to hold a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
President Trump reiterated his position that he prioritizes a peace agreement over a ceasefire. While Ukraine and Europe believe that an immediate ceasefire should be followed by subsequent negotiations, Russia is demanding a comprehensive peace agreement. President Trump asserted, "I don't think a ceasefire is necessary," and argued, "Even while the war is ongoing, we can reach an agreement to pursue a peace deal."
On this day, President Zelensky made it clear that he is willing to participate in a trilateral summit. He said, "We support President Trump's initiative to stop the war," and added, "We are ready for a trilateral summit." When asked what he expects from the United States in terms of security guarantees for Ukraine, he replied, "Everything."
During the summit, President Trump is believed to have shared and discussed Russia's position, as confirmed at his summit with President Putin on August 15, with President Zelensky. The key issues are security guarantees for Ukraine and territorial exchanges. Previously, it was reported that the U.S. and Russia had reached a tentative agreement under which Ukraine would cede part of its territory to Russia, and in return, Russia would accept the United States and Europe providing NATO-style security guarantees to Ukraine. In a previous Fox News interview, President Trump urged President Zelensky to "make a deal," effectively pressuring Ukraine to accept Russia's demands.
Currently, after concluding his meeting with President Zelensky, President Trump is holding a multilateral summit with seven European leaders, including Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Finland. They are expected to announce the results after discussing the issue of ending the war in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, unlike the summit at the end of February, which ended in a "no deal" breakdown, the meeting between President Trump and President Zelensky was held in a friendly atmosphere. President Zelensky appeared in formal attire-a black shirt, jacket, and pants-instead of the military-style outfit he wore during his February visit to the White House. Referring to his outfit, President Zelensky said, "This is the best I have," to which President Trump replied, "I love it." In addition, President Zelensky repeatedly expressed his gratitude to President Trump, including for First Lady Melania Trump's letter to President Putin expressing concern for Ukrainian children affected by the war.
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