On August 18, a meeting took place in Washington between Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump, and European leaders. The event included open and closed sessions, focusing on security guarantees for Ukraine, a possible peace agreement, and perspectives on ending the war.
US President Donald Trump stated that a deal to freeze the conflict was possible and assured the US's involvement in security guarantees for Ukraine. He noted that details of potential deployment of US troops could be announced later, while emphasizing that Europe will be the primary line of Ukraine’s defense.
The issue of Ukraine’s NATO membership remained unresolved—Trump openly said Ukraine would not join NATO, yet the US would continue supporting Ukraine with arms supplies and army strengthening.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz underscored the need for security guarantees for Ukraine based on a model similar to NATO’s Article 5, and for maintaining a strong Ukrainian army for the future. Territorial exchange was discussed, but final agreements are expected at a trilateral meeting involving Putin.
During the Washington talks, Ukraine’s Armed Forces General Staff reported a drone strike on an oil pumping station in Russia's Tambov region, causing a fire and halting oil flow via the "Druzhba" pipeline.
The meeting concluded with optimistic statements from the participants regarding potential agreements. However, a final peace deal is not expected as an immediate outcome of the summit—positions are still being developed. Next steps include preparations for a trilateral summit of Trump, Zelensky, and Putin.
