Post by : Jyoti Gupta

Photo:AP

U.S. President Donald Trump has taken another high-profile step toward his promise of ending the ongoing war in Ukraine, announcing that he has begun making arrangements for a face-to-face meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The talks are aimed at finding a path toward peace and ensuring that Russia does not launch another invasion once the current conflict ends.

The move follows a day of intense diplomacy in Washington, where Trump hosted Zelenskyy and several European leaders at the White House. Leaders from France, Germany, Britain, Italy, Finland, and top officials from the European Union and NATO joined the meetings. The talks focused heavily on long-term security guarantees for Kyiv, which would act as a shield against any future Russian military moves after a peace settlement.

Trump said that after his discussions with the Europeans and Zelenskyy, he personally phoned Vladimir Putin — with whom he had met in Alaska just days earlier — to start arranging the next steps. According to Trump, Putin agreed in principle to meet Zelenskyy, potentially within two weeks. This would mark the first direct meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders since Moscow’s full-scale invasion nearly three and a half years ago.

Security Guarantees for Ukraine

One of the most significant outcomes from the Washington talks was the U.S. pledge to work alongside Europe in providing “NATO-like” security guarantees for Ukraine. While NATO membership is not on the table, leaders discussed the possibility of offering Kyiv protections similar to Article 5 of the NATO charter, which treats an attack on one nation as an attack on all.

French President Emmanuel Macron described this as the “most important outcome” of the discussions, emphasizing that Europe and the U.S. are now aligned on ensuring Ukraine’s security. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called it a “breakthrough,” saying these commitments could finally give Zelenskyy the clarity he needs to negotiate peace without fear of future Russian aggression.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy confirmed that details of these guarantees would be “unpacked” within the next 10 days and eventually formalized in writing. Reports also suggest that Ukraine could promise to purchase $100 billion worth of U.S. weapons, financed by Europe, in exchange for these guarantees. A separate $50 billion joint project to manufacture drones with Ukrainian companies is also under discussion.

Different Voices, Same Goal

European leaders showed a rare unity in Washington. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer all spoke with optimism about the process. Merz revealed that Putin had personally told Trump he was ready to meet Zelenskyy within two weeks. Starmer said there was “a real sense of unity” among Trump, Zelenskyy, and the Europeans.

Macron added that if Putin fails to advance on peace, Europe is prepared to tighten sanctions on Russia. “If this process ends in refusal, sanctions must be increased,” he warned. At the same time, he stressed that the idea of Ukraine giving up any of its territory was not discussed during the White House talks, despite Trump’s earlier public suggestions that compromise may be necessary.

Zelenskyy’s Position

Zelenskyy maintained that a meeting with Putin should take place “without conditions.” He argued that if either side begins by setting conditions, it could derail the opportunity for dialogue. “That’s why I believe we must meet without any conditions,” he said.

He revealed that Trump had shown him a map of Ukraine’s frontlines during their Oval Office meeting. While they debated the territories marked on the map, Zelenskyy stressed that the exchange was respectful and that the overall meeting with Trump had been “warm and substantial.” Later, Zelenskyy described it as perhaps the “best” conversation he has had with Trump so far.

Children and Humanitarian Concerns

Humanitarian issues also featured in the talks. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Trump spoke about missing children from the war. Melania Trump, the First Lady, had earlier written a personal letter to Putin urging him to address the plight of children affected by the conflict. Trump personally handed this letter to Putin during their Alaska summit.

Trump also said he expects Russia to release more than 1,000 Ukrainian prisoners soon after the planned trilateral meeting with Zelenskyy and Putin. “Maybe they will release them very soon, like immediately,” he told reporters, calling it a possible early sign of goodwill.

Diplomatic Day in Washington

The day in Washington was packed with back-to-back meetings. At one point, Trump even interrupted a group discussion with the European leaders to call Putin directly. European leaders reportedly appreciated the direct approach and left the White House cautiously hopeful.

German Chancellor Merz said the Europeans spoke “with one voice,” while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the gathering “a new phase.” Macron floated the idea of a four-way summit involving Ukraine, Russia, the U.S., and Europe to make sure that security guarantees cover the entire continent.

Trump himself said he wanted to “put this war to sleep” and expressed confidence that a peace deal was “very attainable.” He added that although he initially said a ceasefire was unnecessary, after further talks he now preferred an immediate ceasefire to “stop the killing” while negotiations continue.

Looking Ahead

If confirmed, the upcoming Putin-Zelenskyy summit would be a dramatic moment in modern diplomacy, bringing face to face two leaders who have not met since the war began in February 2022. Trump has promised to host a trilateral meeting shortly afterward.

The stakes are high. Any agreement reached could reshape the security landscape of Europe, determine Ukraine’s future, and test Russia’s willingness to end a war that has already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.

As the dust settled on a long day of diplomacy, Trump posted on his social media platform that “everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine.” Still, questions remain about how far Putin is willing to go, and whether Ukraine will be forced into making compromises.

For now, world leaders are preparing for what could be one of the most important peace summits in years.