On August 19, a meeting in Washington shaped the global agenda, focusing on security guarantees for Ukraine and the possibility of negotiations between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to media reports, Putin proposed holding the meeting in Moscow, though details remain unconfirmed.
Donald Trump stated that a peace agreement could grant Ukraine considerable territory and emphasized the necessity of ending hostilities, citing the ongoing loss of about 7,000 lives per week. He sees his role as moderator but views US involvement as limited, leaving decision-making to Putin and Zelenskyy. Security guarantees, Trump said, should be provided by European countries, excluding U.S. military intervention.
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, announced the development of an international security guarantees package and preparations for a possible meeting with Putin. European leaders and NATO countries are working on documents outlining new guarantees, focusing on strengthening Ukraine's defense without limiting the size of its Armed Forces.
Several locations for a potential summit have been suggested, including Hungary, Switzerland, Rome, and Istanbul. Switzerland has expressed readiness to provide immunity for Putin to participate in talks. US officials, including Marco Rubio, confirm Putin's willingness to meet Zelenskyy.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia is open to negotiations but insists on considering Russia's security and the rights of Russian-speaking people in Ukraine. The EU continues its support for Ukraine in areas such as defense industry and sanctions against Russia.
Meanwhile, China is increasing Russian oil purchases and strengthening ties with India in response to US sanctions. In the next two weeks, Western countries plan to finalize the format of security guarantees for Ukraine.
