European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, from left, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Finland's President Alexander Stubb, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte pose for a group photo in the Grand Foyer of the White House, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Before the formal negotiations began, Trump was caught on a hot microphone telling French President Emmanuel Macron that Putin wants to reach a resolution.
After hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and top European leaders at the White House, President Trump personally called Vladimir Putin to begin arranging direct talks between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents.
“At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy,” Trump posted on Truth Social that evening.
“After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself.”
The breakthrough came after hours of talks at the White House between Trump, Zelenskyy and leaders from Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Finland, plus the European Commission president and NATO secretary general.
Before the formal negotiations began, Trump was caught on a hot microphone telling French President Emmanuel Macron that Putin wants to reach a resolution.
“I think [Putin] wants to make a deal,” Trump whispered to Macron in the East Room. “I think he wants to make a deal for me, you understand that? As crazy as it sounds.”
Security guarantees dominated much of the White House discussions. Zelenskyy revealed plans for Ukraine to purchase $90 billion in American weapons through European funding as part of those guarantees.
Another component involves Ukraine manufacturing drones, some of which would be purchased by the United States.
Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the diplomatic efforts in a post on X that night.
“Today, important negotiations took place in Washington. We discussed many issues with President Trump. It was a long and detailed conversation, including discussions about the situation on the battlefield and our steps to bring peace closer.”
The diplomatic push builds on Trump’s Alaska summit with Putin last Friday, which ended without concrete agreements despite what Trump called “great progress.”
Putin had suggested their next meeting could take place “in Moscow,” though Trump acknowledged he’d “get a little heat on that one.”
Sources tell CNN that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff are now coordinating with both Russian and Ukrainian officials to finalize arrangements for the potential Putin-Zelenskyy meeting.
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