Trump pauses European summit to call Putin amid Ukraine talks
The call took place while Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, alongside key European leaders, including those of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Finland, as well as representatives from the European Commission and NATO.
Trump indicated that if Monday's meetings proceed successfully, he may convene a trilateral meeting including Russian President Vladimir Putin with the goal of ending the war.
'We're going to have a meeting. I think if everything works out well today we'll have a trilat and I think there will be a reasonable chance of ending the war when we do that,' Trump said.
He added that the United States would provide security guarantees as part of any agreement. 'European countries are the first line of defense because they are there, they are Europe, we're going to help them out also. We'll be involved,' Trump said.
On the issue of a ceasefire, Trump reiterated that he does not see it as necessary to end the conflict, echoing his recent alignment with Putin's stance.
'I don't think you need a ceasefire,' he said. 'I know that it might be good to have, but I can also understand strategically why one country or the other wouldn't want it. You have a ceasefire and they rebuild and rebuild and rebuild and you know maybe they don't want that.'
Trump also said he plans to speak with Putin by phone following Monday's discussions. 'I just spoke to President Putin indirectly and we're going to have a phone call right after these meetings today,' he said. 'We may or may not have a trilat' with him, Zelenskyy, and Putin.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Roya News
2 hours ago
- Roya News
European leaders sit across from Trump at Oval Office desk in ‘Big Boss' shot
A White House photo showing European leaders seated across from US President Donald Trump at the Oval Office desk, their frustrated expressions on full display, has been described online by some as a bold 'power move.' The photo comes from Trump's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, ahead of discussions on whether and how to end the Ukraine war. One photo immediately stole the show online. It captured Trump sitting behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, while the European leaders were seated side-by-side across from him, like a panel of interviewees. Social media users quickly dubbed it the 'Big Boss shot.' Some hailed the image as 'iconic,' declaring that 'history is happening right in front of us.' Not sure everyone realizes it, but history is happening right in front of us! European leaders sitting around President Trump's desk. — I Meme Therefore I Am(@ImMeme0) August 19, 2025 'They were arranged like ignoramuses, just listening to whatever he has to say,' one commenter wrote. A picture paints a thousand words; and this one shows how some European leaders being humiliated by Trump. They were 'arranged' to sit that way like ignoramuses & listening to what he has to say. A pity to see Meloni dragged into this. — azazim (@pujangg05818099) August 19, 2025 Others took a less flattering view, pointing out the exasperated looks on the leaders' faces, especially Italian President Giorgia Meloni, commenting, " That's not frustration, that's centuries of Roman disappointment in one glance". European leaders gathered around President Trump's desk. This isn't just a meeting… this is a geopolitical group chat IRL. Also, is that Giorgia Meloni on the far left? She looks like she just realized the White House doesn't serve espresso. That's not frustration, that's… — Jobob (@JobobTaeleifi) August 19, 2025
Ammon
7 hours ago
- Ammon
Oil slips as market ponders potential Russia-Ukraine peace talks
Ammon News - Oil prices slipped on Tuesday as market participants contemplated possible three-way talks involving Moscow, Kyiv and Washington to end the war in Ukraine, which would likely lead to the lifting of sanctions on Russian crude. Brent crude futures fell 53 cents, or 0.8%, to $66.07 a barrel by 0545 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures for September delivery, set to expire on Wednesday, fell 44 cents, or 0.7%, to $62.98 per barrel. The more active October WTI contract was down 55 cents, or 0.9%, at $62.15 a barrel. Prices settled around 1% higher in the previous session. Following talks with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and a group of European allies in the White House on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump said in a social media post he had called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and begun arranging a meeting between Putin and Zelenskiy, to be followed by a trilateral summit among the three presidents. Zelenskiy described his direct talks with Trump as "very good" and said they had spoken about Ukraine's need for U.S. security guarantees. Trump confirmed the U.S. would help with such a guarantee, although to what extent was not immediately clear. Reuters
Ammon
8 hours ago
- Ammon
Trump: US would help assure Ukraine's security in a peace deal
Ammon News - U.S. President Donald Trump told President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday that the United States would help guarantee Ukraine's security in any deal to end Russia's war there, though the extent of any assistance was not immediately clear. Trump made the pledge during an extraordinary summit at the White House, where he hosted Zelenskiy and a group of European allies following his meeting on Friday in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "When it comes to security, there's going to be a lot of help," Trump told reporters, adding that European countries would be involved. "They are a first line of defence because they're there, but we'll help them out." Zelenskiy hailed the promise as "a major step forward," adding that the guarantees would be "formalized on paper within the next week to 10 days" and saying Ukraine offered to buy about $90 billion worth of U.S. weapons. The tone on Monday was much warmer than a disastrous Oval Office meeting that saw Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly criticize the Ukrainian leader in February. But a peace deal still appeared far from imminent. Just before the talks began, Russia's Foreign Ministry ruled out the deployment of troops from NATO countries to help secure a peace deal, adding complications to Trump's offer. Both Trump and Zelenskiy said they hoped Monday's gathering would eventually lead to three-way talks with Putin, whose forces have been slowly grinding forward in eastern Ukraine. In a social media post late on Monday, Trump said he had called the Russian leader and begun arranging a meeting between Putin and Zelenskiy, to be followed by a trilateral summit among the three presidents. Trump told European leaders that Putin suggested that sequence, according to a source in the European delegation. While the Kremlin has not publicly announced its agreement, a senior U.S. administration official said the Putin-Zelenskiy meeting could take place in Hungary. The pair will meet within the next two weeks, according to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The last direct talks between Russia and Ukraine took place in Turkey in June. Putin declined Zelenskiy's public invitation to meet him face-to-face there and sent a low-level delegation instead. CEASEFIRE? Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said in audio remarks on Telegram on Monday that Trump and Putin had discussed "the possibility of raising the level of representatives from the Ukrainian and Russian sides ... participating in the mentioned direct negotiations." Meanwhile, European leaders - who rushed to Washington to back up Zelenskiy - urged Trump to insist that Putin agree to a ceasefire in the 3-1/2-year-old war before any talks can advance. Trump previously backed that proposal but reversed course after meeting with Putin on Friday, instead adopting Moscow's position that any peace agreement be comprehensive. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he liked the concept of a ceasefire but the two sides could work on a peace deal while the fighting continued. "I wish they could stop, I'd like them to stop," he said. "But strategically that could be a disadvantage for one side or the other." Reuters
