WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2025 — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Washington ahead of a closely watched summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, calling the talks a crucial step toward charting the next phase of the war with Russia.
In a post on X late Sunday, Zelenskyy said he was “grateful” for the invitation to the White House and stressed that dialogue at the level of leaders was essential. “We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably,” he wrote.
Trump Raises Expectations — and Pressure
On Truth Social, Trump suggested peace could come “almost immediately” if Kyiv agrees to major concessions: dropping its bid to join NATO and formally recognising Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.
“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to,” Trump wrote, adding there would be “no getting back” Crimea and “no going into NATO by Ukraine.”
The comments came as Trump prepared to host Zelenskyy and several European leaders on Monday, billing it as a “big day at the White House” with an unprecedented number of European heads of state present.
Zelenskyy Pushes Back on Crimea
Zelenskyy countered Trump’s remarks by pointing to the risks of short-lived peace deals. He argued that past concessions — including Ukraine’s loss of Crimea in 2014 and so-called security guarantees in 1994 — emboldened Russian President Vladimir Putin to launch further invasions.
“Crimea should not have been given up then, just as Ukrainians did not give up Kyiv, Odesa, or Kharkiv after 2022,” he wrote. “Ukrainians are fighting for their land, for their independence.”
He also highlighted recent battlefield gains, saying Ukrainian forces were advancing in the Donetsk and Sumy regions. “I am confident that we will defend Ukraine, effectively guarantee security, and that our people will always be grateful to President Trump, everyone in America, and every partner and ally for their support,” Zelenskyy said.
Negotiations and Sticking Points
The summit follows reports from Friday’s meeting in Alaska, where Putin demanded Ukraine surrender the remaining quarter of Donetsk as part of a possible cease-fire. In return, Russia would freeze fighting on the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia fronts, where its forces have stalled, according to Axios.
Zelenskyy signalled openness to talks but rejected sweeping territorial concessions. “We need real negotiations, which means they can start where the front line is now,” he said in Brussels on Sunday. “The contact line is the best line for talking.”
Ukraine still controls key Donetsk cities, including Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, despite years of heavy Russian assault, and officials warn ceding the region could expose the country to deeper incursions in the future.
U.S. Officials Call for Compromise
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a cautious tone, saying a lasting peace would require “hard compromises” from both sides. “Ukraine obviously feels harmed, and rightfully so, because they were invaded,” he told CBS’s Face the Nation. “And the Russian side, because they feel like they got momentum on the battlefield.”
Trump amplified speculation about concessions by reposting comments suggesting Ukraine would ultimately need to trade land for peace — a position that could clash with Kyiv’s constitutional ban on giving up territory.
What’s at Stake
The White House talks mark a pivotal moment after three and a half years of full-scale war. With Russia unable to secure all of Donetsk and Ukraine resisting pressure to abandon NATO ambitions, both sides enter the summit with entrenched positions and few easy compromises.
Whether Monday’s meeting produces a roadmap for peace — or deepens the divide between Kyiv’s goals and Washington’s new strategy under Trump — remains to be seen.
