President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Ukraine should have been allowed to conduct more offensive strikes against Russia early on in the war, arguing that former President Joe Biden didn&#8217;t let the country &#8220;FIGHT BACK.&#8221;
Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115067017601499775">posted</a> on Truth Social that a nation must fight both offensively and defensively to have any &#8220;chance of winning.&#8221; The president&#8217;s comments come as he continues to push Russia and Ukraine toward a peace deal, while Russian President Vladimir Putin doubles down on his drone and missile attacks targeting Ukrainian cities.
&#8220;It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders [sic] country. It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning!&#8221; Trump wrote. &#8220;It is like that with Ukraine and Russia. Crooked and grossly incompetent Joe Biden would not let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND. How did that work out? Regardless, this is a war that would have NEVER happened if I were President &#8211; ZERO CHANCE. Interesting times ahead!!!&#8221;
When the United States first began sending weapons to Ukraine at the beginning of the war, the Biden administration held back on giving Kyiv any long-range missiles that could strike Russia within its borders. Last November, however, Biden <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/biden-approves-ukraines-use-of-long-range-missiles-inside-russia-003154be?mod=article_inline">approved</a> of Ukraine firing long-range U.S.-made missiles inside Russia.
When Biden authorized Ukraine&#8217;s use of long-range missiles to target Russia, then-president-elect Trump called the move &#8220;stupid,&#8221; according to The Wall Street Journal.
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“I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that? We’re just escalating this war and making it worse,” he said.
The president&#8217;s comments on Thursday could be a negotiating tactic to keep pressure on Putin as the Russian dictator is expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the coming weeks. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that “the president is making an observation, which happens to be true,&#8221; according to the WSJ.
On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/moscow-draws-hard-line-over-security-guarantees-for-ukraine-4b1e8428?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=ASWzDAj0voDE1VVEYWsO0kxr-PPysLoc2J7XGdZ6ZXqHWakNyRjtJ7-A3rSiKVcoxgU%3D&amp;gaa_ts=68a77756&amp;gaa_sig=Z5E9i-Wzt5X0yX8iKE96lJUVBMuzpyNWHaiTGIxTqD87Z3fWXkx4z6pjzOyKIY3TNmJ8G_ye6MRwdtjRb6kHOg%3D%3D">raised</a> some doubts over whether a Putin-Zelensky summit would happen. The Kremlin also said that it would have veto power over any security guarantees for Ukraine after Trump and other European leaders vowed on Monday to provide security for Kyiv if a peace deal is reached. Lavrov added that China should be involved in the discussions on security guarantees.
Trump envoy Steve Witkoff <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-witkoff-ukraine-russia-putin-war-048aa829a69b4020ca368577bfe18aee">said</a> that during Trump&#8217;s summit with Putin last week, the Russian dictator agreed to U.S. and European security guarantees for Ukraine, adding that it “was the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that.&#8221;

Donald Trump

‘Biden Would Not Let Ukraine FIGHT BACK’: Trump Says Kyiv Should’ve Launched More Attacks On Russia

Global Politics

Russia

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

World

BERLIN/MILAN (Reuters) -A Ukrainian man was arrested at a holiday bungalow in Italy on suspicion of coordinating attacks on three Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022, officials said on Thursday, a breakthrough in an episode that sharpened tensions between Russia and the West.
Described by both Moscow and the West as an act of sabotage, the explosions largely severed Russian gas supplies to Europe, prompting a major escalation in the Ukraine conflict and squeezing energy supplies on the continent. No one has taken responsibility for the blasts and Ukraine has denied any role.
The arrest comes just as Kyiv is engaged in fraught diplomatic discussions with the United States over how to end the war in Ukraine without giving away major concessions and swathes of its own territory to Russia.
&#8220;Politically we are firmly on Ukraine&#8217;s side and will continue to be so,&#8221; said Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig when asked if the arrest would affect Berlin&#8217;s ties to Kyiv. &#8220;What is important for me is that Germany is a country of law, and crimes in our jurisdiction are fully investigated.&#8221;
The suspect, identified only as Serhii K. under German privacy laws, was part of a group of people who planted devices on the pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea, a statement from the prosecutor&#8217;s office said.
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He and his accomplices had set off from Rostock on Germany&#8217;s northeastern coast in a sailing yacht to carry out the attack, it said. The vessel had been rented from a German company with the help of forged identity documents via middlemen, it added.
Authorities acted on a European arrest warrant for the suspect, who faces charges of collusion to cause an explosion, anti-constitutional sabotage and destruction of important structures.
An official in the Ukrainian president&#8217;s office said he could not comment as it was not clear who had been arrested. The official reiterated Ukraine&#8217;s denial of any role in the blasts.
Successive Ukrainian governments have seen the pipelines as a symbol of, and vehicle for, Russia&#8217;s hold over European energy supplies that Kyiv argued made it hard to act against Moscow ever since Russia&#8217;s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
FORMER UKRAINIAN OFFICER?
The Wall Street Journal reported that the suspect was a retired captain in Ukraine’s armed forces and previously served in Ukraine’s security service SBU, as well as in an elite unit that defended Kyiv in the early months of Russia&#8217;s full-scale invasion in 2022.
The officer purportedly headed a team of two soldiers and four civilian divers covertly recruited by a special Ukrainian military unit to lay explosives that damaged the undersea pipelines, the WSJ said, citing investigators.
German prosecutors declined to comment on the WSJ report.
Carabinieri officers arrested the suspect overnight in San Clemente on Italy&#8217;s Adriatic coast, where he was supposed to spend a few days with his family.
&#8220;Once his presence had been verified, the Carabinieri surrounded the bungalow and launched a raid, during which the man surrendered without resistance,&#8221; a statement by the Carabinieri said, adding the suspect was 49 years old.
A police official told Reuters the suspect was arrested because, when providing documents at a hotel check-in, an alert flagging he was wanted popped up at the police headquarters, which dispatched a Carabinieri police patrol.
In September 2022, one of the two lines of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline was damaged by mysterious blasts, along with both lines of Nord Stream 1 that carried Russian gas to Europe.
Moscow, without providing evidence, blamed Western sabotage for the blasts, which cut off most Russian gas supplies to the lucrative European market. The U.S. denied having anything to do with the attacks.
The Washington Post and Germany&#8217;s Der Spiegel magazine have previously said the team that carried out the attack was put together by a former Ukrainian intelligence officer, who denied involvement.
In January 2023, Germany raided a ship that it said may have been used to transport explosives and told the United Nations it believed trained divers could have attached devices to the pipelines at about 70 to 80 metres deep.
The boat, leased in Germany via a Poland-registered company, contained traces of octogen, the same explosive that was found at the underwater blast sites, according to the investigations by Germany, Denmark and Sweden.
Russia&#8217;s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 triggered Europe&#8217;s deadliest conflict in 80 years, in which analysts say more than 1 million people have been killed or injured.
(Reporting by Rachel More, Philippe LeroyBeaulieu, Sarah Marsh, Giulio Piovaccari, Gavin Jones, Thomas Escritt, Tom Balmforth, Stine Jacobsen; writing by Matthias WilliamsEditing by Gareth Jones and Philippa Fletcher)

Gas leak at Nord Stream 2 as seen from the Danish F-16 interceptor on Bornholm

Ukrainian Man Arrested For Nord Stream Attacks Heightens Tensions Between Russia And The West

Italy

Nord Stream Pipeline

Politics

Ukraine Russia

KYIV (Reuters) -Russia targeted a U.S.-founded electronics manufacturer near Ukraine&#8217;s border with the European Union in a major air attack on Thursday as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy sought U.S. support to bring Russian leader Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
The overnight attack, which included 574 drones and 40 missiles, was one of the largest of Russia&#8217;s full-scale invasion of its neighbour, now in its fourth year.
One person was killed and 22 were wounded, most of them in the attack that damaged storage facilities at the electronics manufacturer in Ukraine&#8217;s far-Western Zakarpattia region, authorities said.
&#8220;It was a regular civilian business, supported by American investment, producing everyday items like coffee machines. And yet, it was also a target for the Russians,&#8221; Zelenskiy wrote on X.
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&#8220;This is very telling.&#8221;
Mukachevo mayor Andriy Baloha said the damaged enterprise belonged to the U.S.-listed company Flex Ltd. The corporate headquarters of the company, a global technology, supply chain and advanced manufacturing solutions partner, is in Austin, Texas and its registered office is in Singapore.
The company employed thousands of the area&#8217;s residents, Baloha said. Flex, which grew from a family firm founded in Silicon Valley in 1969, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In Ukraine&#8217;s western city of Lviv, the attack killed one person, wounded three others and damaged 26 homes, said Governor Maksym Kozytskyi. Authorities in southeastern Ukraine&#8217;s Dnipropetrovsk region also reported damage to businesses, homes and gas lines. Two industry sources told Reuters a key gas pumping facility had been attacked, without giving a location.
Russia said Putin had repeatedly said he was ready to meet Zelenskiy but that Ukraine was trying to undermine Trump&#8217;s efforts to resolve the conflict and its leader was illegitimate.
The defence ministry in Moscow said it had struck Ukrainian energy and airfield infrastructure as well as military industrial facilities overnight, and captured another frontline village &#8211; Oleksandro-Shultyne, Russian news agency RIA reported. Ukraine said it had hit a Russian oil refinery, a drone warehouse and a fuel base.
Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield reports.
SECURITY TALKS
U.S. President Donald Trump met both Zelenskiy and Vladimir Putin over the past week in pursuit of a diplomatic end to the fighting but has acknowledged that his Russian counterpart may not want to make a deal. Zelenskiy urged Trump to react firmly if that was the case.
&#8220;We are ready. But what if the Russians are not ready?&#8221; he said in comments released on Thursday. &#8220;If the Russians are not ready, we would like to see a strong reaction from the United States.&#8221;
U.S. and European military planners have begun exploring post-conflict security guarantees for Ukraine, according to U.S. officials and sources, but the path to peace remained uncertain.
A defence ministry source in Turkey, which has opposed sanctions on Russia while also giving military help to Ukraine and joining a &#8220;Coalition of the Willing&#8221; to help it with post-conflict security, said peace was still far off.
&#8220;It is necessary to first secure a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, then determine the framework of a mission with a clear mandate, and clarify the extent to which each country will contribute,&#8221; the Turkish source said on condition of anonymity.
The Kremlin said Putin had discussed Ukraine with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday, when Moscow also said attempts to resolve security issues without Russian involvement were a &#8220;road to nowhere&#8221;.
On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was ready for an honest talk about security guarantees for Ukraine and accused Ukraine&#8217;s European backers of &#8216;adventurism&#8217; by excluding Moscow from their discussions.
Russia, which denies targeting civilians, has used missiles and drones to strike Ukrainian towns and cities far from the front lines throughout the war.
Thousands of civilians, the vast majority of them Ukrainian, have been killed since Moscow&#8217;s full-scale invasion of February 2022. More than a million Russian and Ukrainian soldiers are estimated to have been killed or wounded.
(Reporting by Anastasiia Malenko; Writing by Dan Peleschuk; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Tomasz Janowski, Philippa Fletcher)
&nbsp;

Russian drone and missile strike in Lviv

Russia Slams Ukraine In Massive Strikes, Blames Kyiv For Blocking Peace Talks

Overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, NATO scrambled two German warplanes after Russia launched missiles and drones at a Ukrainian city near the border with Romania, a NATO member.
The Russian missiles and drones targeted an area less than a mile from Romania&#8217;s border, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/nato-scrambles-warplanes-russia-hits-near-romanian-border-ukraine">reported</a>. The Romanian government said that two German Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft were flown out &#8220;to monitor the air situation&#8221; as part of NATO&#8217;s Enhanced Air Policing. No Russian missiles or drones crossed over into NATO territory.
Russia also targeted Ukraine&#8217;s northern Sumy region on Tuesday night in an attack that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said wounded 14 people.
&#8220;A family with wounded children – 5 months, 4 years, and 6 years old – sought assistance after the attack. In Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, a glide bomb strike damaged five apartment buildings, and at least three people still remain under the rubble,&#8221; Zelensky posted on X early Wednesday morning. &#8220;The rescue operation continues. There was also a treacherous strike on a gas distribution station in the Odesa region. Shelling also targeted the Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Poltava regions. In total, more than 60 drones and a ballistic missile were used.&#8221;
Zelensky added that Russia&#8217;s attacks &#8220;only confirm the need to put pressure on Moscow, the need to impose new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy is fully effective.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Last night, a drone strike on Okhtyrka in the Sumy region injured 14 people. A family with wounded children – 5 months, 4 years, and 6 years old – sought assistance after the attack. In Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, a glide bomb strike damaged five apartment buildings, and at… <a href="https://t.co/TWRPo4Po6F">pic.twitter.com/TWRPo4Po6F</a>
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1958080483100700983?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
The attack is just the latest in a major Russian offensive that has taken place as President Donald Trump attempts to get Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to work out a peace deal. Earlier this week, Russia launched its largest attack of the month shortly after Zelensky and other European leaders met with Trump at the White House to discuss a potential path to peace with Russia. On Monday night and into Tuesday morning, Moscow fired 270 drones and 10 missiles at Ukraine, with at least 40 drones and four missiles striking in Ukraine&#8217;s central Poltava region, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/russia-launches-largest-attack-august-ukraine-after-trump/story?id=124768391">reported</a>.
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Despite Putin&#8217;s continued aggression, President Trump still believes Russia and Ukraine can reach a peace agreement and end the bloodshed. Trump set up a one-on-one meeting for Putin and Zelensky, scheduled to take place in the next two weeks. The president also said he would be willing to step in for a trilateral meeting with Putin and Zelensky if the Ukrainian leader wants him to.
Following his meeting with Putin last week, Trump said he wanted more than a &#8220;mere Ceasefire Agreement&#8221; between Russia and Ukraine, <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115037569702889410">writing</a> on Truth Social that &#8220;it was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.&#8221;
Trump vowed to provide security guarantees for Ukraine if Kyiv reaches a deal with Moscow, but he promised that U.S. troops would not be on the ground in the country. The president also left the door open to the United States providing air support for Ukraine if a peace agreement is reached.

Tactical Leadership Programme Albacete

Russian Attack Hits Close To NATO Ally, Warplanes Scrambled

President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/no-u-s-boots-on-the-ground-in-ukraine-trump-pledges?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=No+U.S.+Boots+On+The+Ground+In+Ukraine%2C+Trump+Pledges">vowed</a> not to place U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine on Tuesday, but he didn’t rule out providing air support for the country as he pushes for a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow.
Trump told the hosts of “Fox &amp; Friends” Tuesday morning that European countries “are willing to put people on the ground” in Ukraine, and that the United States could potentially provide air support.
“We’re willing to help them with things, especially, probably, if you talk about by air because nobody has stuff we have,” Trump said.
The president added that he doesn’t believe the United States or its European allies would have to step in to push back against further Russian aggression if a peace deal is reached.
“I don’t think it’s going to be a problem. I think if a deal is made — you know, famous last words, right? — but I think if a deal is made, I think Russia’s had it, they’ve all had it. And for a very extended period of time, I don’t think there will be a problem,” Trump said. “But there will be some form of security. It can’t be NATO because that’s just not something that would ever, ever happen.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Trump tells <a href="https://twitter.com/foxandfriends?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@foxandfriends</a> that the U.S. may give Ukraine air support as part of the peace deal.
&#8220;It&#8217;s a different kind of a thing for them&#8230;when it comes to security, they are willing to put people on the ground, we &#8216;re willing to help them with things, especially, probably,… <a href="https://t.co/7CxucrpMMy">pic.twitter.com/7CxucrpMMy</a>
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) <a href="https://twitter.com/reaganreese_/status/1957796884694671719?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt added later on Tuesday that air support for Ukraine remains “an option and a possibility.”
“The president understands that security guarantees are crucially important to ensure a lasting peace,” Leavitt said.
Trump told “Fox &amp; Friends” that the American people have his “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/no-u-s-boots-on-the-ground-in-ukraine-trump-pledges?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=No+U.S.+Boots+On+The+Ground+In+Ukraine%2C+Trump+Pledges">assurance</a>” that no American boots would be on the ground in Ukraine under any security guarantees.
“You have my assurance — and I’m president. I’m just trying to stop people from being killed,” Trump said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would likely only accept the terms of a peace deal with Russia if Kyiv receives security guarantees from the United States and Europe, such as peacekeepers on the ground in Ukraine. Russia, however, has repeatedly shot down the idea of troops from any NATO countries being deployed to Ukraine. The Kremlin said on Monday, “We reiterate our longstanding position of unequivocally rejecting any scenarios involving the deployment of NATO military contingents in Ukraine, as this risks uncontrollable escalation with unpredictable consequences.”
In February, Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was open to European troops being sent to Ukraine to ensure peace if a deal is made with Ukraine, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/08/19/us/trump-zelensky-ukraine-russia/western-forces-nato-peacekeepers-trump?smid=url-share">reported</a>.
“He will accept that,” Trump said. “I specifically asked him that question. He has no problem with it.”

National-Independence-Day-Celebration-July-4-2025

Trump ‘Willing’ To Back Ukraine With American Air Power

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that there would be no American troops on the ground in Ukraine under his watch.
Trump made the comments in an interview on “Fox and Friends” as he recapped his Monday meeting at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European leaders, and a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump added that European nations like France, Germany, and the U.K. might have boots on the ground in Ukraine at some point.
“You have my assurance — and I’m president. I’m just trying to stop people from being killed,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1957779018746355883">said</a> when asked by Fox News host Charles Hurt if he would confirm that American soldiers would not be used to defend Ukraine. “Look, they’re losing from five to seven thousand people a week.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;What kind of assurances do you feel like you have that&#8230; it won&#8217;t be American boots on the ground defending that border [in Ukraine]?&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &#8220;You have my assurance — and I&#8217;m President. I&#8217;m just trying to stop people from being killed.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/mzmYxtK0HJ">pic.twitter.com/mzmYxtK0HJ</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1957779018746355883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
That vow came after Trump declined on Monday to rule out the possibility that American troops would be in Ukraine as part of a security guarantee. 
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Trump said during the same interview that he initially thought the Ukraine-Russia War would be” one of the easier” conflicts to end, but that it has turned out to be the “most difficult” to resolve. He said Putin needed to cooperate, and that Zelensky would have to show some “flexibility.”
After the White House meetings, Trump said that Putin and Zelensky would meet in the coming weeks. Following that discussion, Trump said he would meet with both leaders to attempt to negotiate an end to the war. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will be coordinating the meetings with Russia and Ukraine, Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday night. 
Trump also recapped his “very good” phone call with Putin, telling “Fox and Friends” that he pressed the Russian dictator to come to the table with Zelensky.
“I told him that we’re going to set up a meeting with President Zelensky, and you and he will meet, and then after that meeting, if everything works out OK, I’ll meet and we’ll wrap it up,” he said. “It takes, in this case, two to tango. They have to have somewhat of a relationship, otherwise we’re just wasting a lot of time.”
Trump joked that ending the war might be his ticket through the pearly gates.
“If I can save 7,000 people a week from being killed…I want to try and get to heaven if possible. I’m hearing I’m not doing well. I hear I’m really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons,” he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets with US President Donald Trump in DC

No U.S. Boots On The Ground In Ukraine, Trump Pledges

Executive

Fox News

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet one-on-one within two weeks to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine, according to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Talking with reporters after meeting with President Donald Trump, Zelensky, and other European leaders at the White House, Merz said that the leaders of Russia and Ukraine would meet face-to-face soon, according to <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/18/ukraine-russia-war-trump-zelensky-meeting-latest-news/">The Telegraph</a>. Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/with-historic-zelensky-visit-donald-trump-moves-the-world-one-step-closer-to-peace?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=With+Historic+Zelensky+Visit%2C+Donald+Trump+Moves+The+World+One+Step+Closer+To+Peace">told</a> Zelensky Monday that the U.S. president would join in peace talks between the two powers “if you want me there.”
Merz took a shot at Putin, telling reporters that the Russian leader might not have the “courage” to face Zelensky one-on-one. Putin reportedly told Trump during a phone call on Monday that he is ready to meet Zelensky.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that he would join in a meeting with Putin and Zelensky after the two&#8217;s one-on-one meeting.
“Everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine. At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy. After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself,” <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115052030103944534">said</a> Trump.
“[T]his was a very good, early step for a War that has been going on for almost four years,” he added.
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During talks on Monday, Trump said that security guarantees by the United States for Ukraine may be part of an eventual peace deal. Russia rejected proposals to put a NATO peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
“We confirm the position that has been voiced more than once about our categorical rejection of any scenarios involving the appearance of Ukraine military contingent with the participation of NATO countries (which is fraught with an uncontrolled escalation of the conflict with unpredictable consequences),” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
The topic of land swaps for peace has also been raised, including giving up land that is currently held by Ukraine in the Donbas. Merz pushed back forcefully against the suggestion after talks on Monday concluded.
“The Russian demand that Kyiv give up the free parts of Donbas corresponds, to put it bluntly, to a proposal for the United States to have to give up Florida,” Merz said.

Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky

Putin, Zelensky To Meet Face-To-Face Within Two Weeks: German Chancellor

President Donald Trump is set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and seven other European leaders at the White House on Monday afternoon to discuss a possible end to the Ukraine-Russia war.
The meeting was set up by Trump following his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday. After talking with Putin for nearly two hours, Trump has provided few details on what was discussed, but said that a ceasefire agreement is now up to Zelensky and Ukraine.
Here&#8217;s what to expect during the high-stakes talks on Monday
<h3>Who?</h3>
Along with Zelensky, numerous European leaders will meet with Trump at the White House.
<ul>
<li>European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen</li>
<li>French President Emmanuel Macron</li>
<li>British Prime Minister Keir Starmer</li>
<li>German Chancellor Friedrich Merz</li>
<li>Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni</li>
<li>Finnish President Alexander Stubb</li>
<li>NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte</li>
</ul>
<h3>When?</h3>
European leaders are expected to arrive at the White House at noon ET. Trump and Zelensky will meet first at around 1:00 p.m., with Vice President JD Vance also expected to join the meeting, according to <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5457168-trump-putin-zelensky-european-leaders/">The Hill</a>. The last time Trump, Zelensky, and Vance met in the Oval Office on February 28, the Ukrainian leader was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-and-vance-clash-with-zelensky-in-fiery-white-house-meeting">blasted</a> by the president and vice president over his handling of the war and his continued requests for U.S. assistance.
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At 2:15 p.m., Trump will greet the other European leaders in the State Dining Room, and at 3:00 p.m., they will meet for discussions in the East Room, with Zelensky also joining them.
Before the meeting with Trump, the European leaders are expected to meet with Zelensky to prepare for discussions with the U.S. president, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/08/18/us/trump-zelensky-ukraine-putin/217ff917-4652-568f-9310-35175d8312a7?smid=url-share">reported</a>.
<h3>What&#8217;s At Stake?</h3>
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-zelensky-can-end-war-with-russia-almost-immediately?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+Says+Zelensky+Can+End+War+With+Russia+%E2%80%98Almost+Immediately%E2%80%99">said</a> on Sunday night that an end to the more than three-year war between Ukraine and Russia is within reach, and a peace deal rests at the feet of Zelensky. The president wrote on Truth Social that Zelensky &#8220;can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight.&#8221;
Trump also suggested that Ukraine should not expect to get back Crimea or join NATO. Trump previously said that Ukraine and Russia could agree to a land swap.
&#8220;Remember how it started,” Trump added on Truth Social. “No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!”
Hours before the major meeting at the White House, Russia launched more strikes on Ukraine, killing at least seven people, according to Ukrainian authorities.
&#8220;Russians are deliberately killing people, particularly children. As of now, seven people have been killed as a result of the drone strike in Kharkiv, the youngest being a girl who is only a year and a half old, and dozens have been injured, including children,&#8221; Zelensky said.
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Zelensky suggested on Sunday night that Ukraine would continue to fight for its eastern regions, where Russian forces are currently occupying much of the territory. The Ukrainian president said in a <a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1957271398902039032">post</a> on X, &#8220;We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably. And peace must be lasting. Not like it was years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of our East—part of Donbas—and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack.&#8221;
&#8220;Ukrainians are fighting for their land, for their independence,&#8221; Zelensky added. &#8220;Now, our soldiers have successes in 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 and invaluable assistance.&#8221;
While it remains unclear what exactly Trump and Putin discussed in Anchorage, the U.S. president said he agreed with Putin on &#8220;one or two significant items.&#8221; Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956523310927278343?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1956523310927278343%7Ctwgr%5Eb71cfff2b38dbd6dd22e3fdbbd5ab3ac5b699f95%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.arena.im%2Fembed%3Fpublisher%3Ddaily-wireevent%3DTyx2fewv%3D2">added</a> on Friday night, &#8220;As far as I&#8217;m concerned, there&#8217;s no deal until there&#8217;s a deal, but we did make a lot of progress.&#8221;
Trump has been criticized for meeting with Putin by Democrats and the legacy media, who argue that the talks gave the Russian dictator legitimacy without much progress being made toward a peace deal. Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-slams-media-as-sunday-show-hosts-pan-putin-summit-these-people-are-sick?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Sunday+Show+Hosts+Pan+Putin+Summit%2C+And+Trump+Hits+Back%3A+%E2%80%98These+People+Are+Sick%21%E2%80%99">fired back</a> at his critics, calling them &#8220;sick.&#8221;
“The Fake News has been saying for 3 days that I suffered a ‘major defeat’ by allowing President Vladimir Putin of Russia to have a major Summit in the United States,” Trump wrote, adding, “Actually, he would have loved doing the meeting anywhere else but the U.S., and the Fake News knows this. It was a major point of contention! If we had the Summit elsewhere, the Democrat run and controlled media would have said what a terrible thing THAT was.&#8221;
“These people are sick!” he added.

Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky

What To Watch For During Trump’s High-Stakes Meeting With Zelensky And European Leaders

Europe

President Donald Trump said Sunday night that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could end the war with Russia “almost immediately” if he wanted.
Trump’s comments came ahead of a meeting on Monday at the White House between Trump, Zelensky, and other European leaders. Trump, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska, is pushing for an end to the years-long war that broke out in February 2022. 
“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight. Remember how it started,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115047128460078066">wrote</a> on Truth Social. “No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!”
After his meeting with Putin, Trump said that “it was determined by all” that the best way to end the war would be to go directly to a peace deal rather than a ceasefire agreement. 
Along those lines, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that both sides would have to make concessions to get to a peace deal. 
“There are things Russia wants that it cannot get and there are things Ukraine wants it&#8217;s not going to get,” he <a href="https://x.com/StateDept/status/1957116607454748836">said</a> on “Face the Nation&#8221; on Sunday. “Both sides are going to have to give up something in order to get to the table in order to make this happen. That&#8217;s just the way it is. The sooner we accept that, that&#8217;s the reality.”
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Zelensky, who arrived in the United States on Sunday, <a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1957271398902039032">said</a> in a post on X that “we all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably.”
“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 and invaluable assistance. Russia must end this war, which it itself started,” he said. 
The last meeting at the White House between Zelensky and Trump ended with the Ukrainian president being asked to leave after he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-and-vance-clash-with-zelensky-in-fiery-white-house-meeting">clashed</a> with both Trump and Vice President JD Vance during a meeting in the Oval Office. Trump said during that exchange that Zelensky was &#8220;gambling with World War III&#8221; and that he was being disrespectful to the United States for all the aid it had sent to his country. 
Other leaders scheduled to meet with Trump on Monday include French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and European Union President Ursula von der Leyen.

President Trump Hosts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy At The White House

Trump Says Zelensky Can End War With Russia ‘Almost Immediately’

Trump Says Zelensky Can End War With Russia 'Almost Immediately'

Marco Rubio

The biggest critics of President Donald Trump&#8217;s efforts to achieve peace between Ukraine and Russia have been &#8220;wrong&#8221; on foreign policy for decades, according to Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO).
During an interview on &#8220;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6377012120112" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News Sunday</a>,&#8221; Schmitt delivered a retort after being pressed to respond to critiques from his colleagues across the aisle following Trump&#8217;s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Sen. <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Eric_Schmitt</a>: The people who are most critical of <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>&#8216; pursuit of peace &#8220;have been wrong, for the last 30 years, about every single foreign policy issue under the sun.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/JMkr8ljDEy">pic.twitter.com/JMkr8ljDEy</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1957081966991339558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;The people who are most critical have been wrong for the last 30 years about every single foreign policy issue under the sun,&#8221; Schmitt told anchor Shannon Bream.
As an example, Schmitt took aim at Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser under former President Joe Biden who had also been interviewed on the program on Sunday.
&#8220;I mean, you just had Jake Sullivan on,&#8221; Schmitt said. &#8220;Jake Sullivan just presided over, in the last four years, the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia that he&#8217;s now critical about President Trump.&#8221;
Sullivan also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-biden-adviser-bragged-of-quiet-middle-east-one-week-before-hamas-attacked-israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bragged</a> in October 2023 about the Middle East region being &#8220;quieter&#8221; than it had been in two decades — just days before Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel.
&#8220;So, these Wilsonian adventurers who think America can be everywhere all at once all the time have been wrong about everything,&#8221; Schmitt said.
Democrats have argued that Trump is being played by Putin, but Schmitt rejected the idea that a peace agreement is not attainable just because the Alaska meeting did not immediately end the conflict.
&#8220;I look at this from a realistic point of view,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The diplomacy that President Trump is engaging in, which has been very successful since he took office, is about engaging people that, you know, maybe aren&#8217;t your best friends in the world, but you&#8217;re trying to get to a peace deal. That&#8217;s exactly what this was.&#8221;
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders are expected to huddle with Trump at the White House on Monday. Another meeting with Putin could follow.
&#8220;It&#8217;s going to take time,&#8221; Schmitt said. &#8220;So, that meeting led to the next meeting, which is going to happen on Monday, which will likely lead to the next meeting. That&#8217;s how that typically works. I think for some people so used to the 24-hour news cycle, maybe that isn&#8217;t fast enough, but that&#8217;s how the real-world works.&#8221;
Schmitt contended Trump is trying to be a uniter, unlike Biden.
&#8220;We just didn&#8217;t see that the last four years. Joe Biden was out to lunch and his only plan was to send $200 billion of American taxpayer funds over there without a plan,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And so President Trump, I think, is seeking peace. He&#8217;s bringing the parties together. And that&#8217;s what diplomacy is all about. That should always be our first option, and that&#8217;s where we&#8217;re at right now.&#8221;

Senator Eric Schmitt

Critics Of Trump’s Ukraine-Russia Peace Effort Have Been ‘Wrong’ For Decades, GOP Senator Says

Congress

Eric Schmitt

U.S.

U.S. Senate

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday the &#8220;only way&#8221; to achieve a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia is for both sides to make concessions.
Rubio made the comments to &#8220;Meet The Press&#8221; anchor Kristen Welker during an <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1957071926645391805" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> on NBC News a couple days after President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss ending the years-long conflict.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a>: &#8220;The only way to reach a deal is for each side to get something and each side to give something — and that&#8217;s been very difficult. If it was easy, this wouldn&#8217;t have been going on for 3.5 years&#8230; That&#8217;s why Zelensky is coming tomorrow.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/Z5h2tv9wRz">pic.twitter.com/Z5h2tv9wRz</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1957071926645391805?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;As you can imagine, everybody goes into a negotiation wanting 100% of what they want. That includes Ukraine, but obviously the Russians. And the only way to reach a deal on anything, whether it&#8217;s in business or in politics or in geopolitics, the only way to reach a deal is for each side to get something, and each side to give something,&#8221; Rubio said.
He continued, &#8220;And that&#8217;s been very difficult. If it was easy, this wouldn&#8217;t have been going on for three and a half years. Understand the longer these wars go on, the harder they are to end unfortunately. Because one side is always looking for leverage on the other, in this particular case, the Russia side as well.&#8221;
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders are expected to huddle with Trump at the White House on Monday. Another meeting with Putin could follow if there is a viable path toward peace.
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Trump has <a href="https://x.com/BulwarkOnline/status/1956528613987107020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indicated</a> that land swaps and safety measures are part of the discussion, although it remains to be seen whether Russia and Ukraine will ultimately agree to such terms.
During another interview on Sunday, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff told CNN that Putin will not stand for Ukraine to join NATO, but is open to allowing some kind of arrangement that would allow the United States to effectively provide one of its major security tenets.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Tapper: &#8220;You mentioned the Article 5 guarantee of NATO&#8230;Russia would allow that to happen?&#8221;
Witkoff: &#8220;That&#8217;s not what I said. What I said is we got to an agreement that the U.S. and other European nations could effectively offer Article 5-like language for security guarantees.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/gIiT59IdQJ">pic.twitter.com/gIiT59IdQJ</a>
— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) <a href="https://twitter.com/BulwarkOnline/status/1957071026434584868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;We were able to win the following concession: that the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO,&#8221; Witkoff <a href="https://x.com/BulwarkOnline/status/1957071026434584868" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> to &#8220;State of the Union&#8221; host Jake Tapper. &#8220;We sort of were able to bypass that and get an agreement that the United States could offer Article 5 protection, which was the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that.&#8221;

Secretary of State Marco Rubio

Rubio Reveals The ‘Only Way’ To Achieve Ukraine-Russia Peace Deal

Steve Witkoff

Trump Administration

President Donald Trump said on Friday, before meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, that he would discuss potential land swaps between Russia and Ukraine, but that the ultimate decision on agreeing to such a deal rests on Ukraine.
While en route to Alaska for the summit, Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he&#8217;s not negotiating for Kyiv, adding that Ukraine must make its own decision on swapping territory with Russia.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve gotta let Ukraine make that decision, but I think they&#8217;ll make a proper decision,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956394431294111787">said</a>. &#8220;I&#8217;m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I&#8217;m here to get them to the table.&#8221;
&#8220;Look, Vladimir Putin wanted to take all of Ukraine,&#8221; he added. &#8220;If I wasn&#8217;t president, he would right now be taking all of Ukraine, but he&#8217;s not going to do it.&#8221;
The president is scheduled to sit down with Putin at 3:00 p.m. ET as Trump seeks to guide Russia and Ukraine toward a ceasefire agreement. Trump told reporters that he&#8217;s hoping a ceasefire will be agreed upon &#8220;rapidly,&#8221; adding, &#8220;I don&#8217;t know if it&#8217;s going to be today, but I&#8217;m not going to be happy if it&#8217;s not today.&#8221;
&#8220;Everyone said it can&#8217;t be today, but I&#8217;m just saying I want the killing to stop. I&#8217;m in this to stop the killing,&#8221; the president said.
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Potential land swaps between Russia and Ukraine were suggested by Trump last week. Russian forces have largely taken control of Ukraine&#8217;s eastern region while Ukrainian forces continue to fight back. Putin reportedly told Trump envoy Steve Witkoff last week that he would end the war against Ukraine in exchange for the region in eastern Ukraine known as the Donbas.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is excluded from the Trump-Putin summit, suggested last weekend that he&#8217;s opposed to a land swap deal with Russia.
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“Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier,” Zelensky said, adding, “Any decisions made against us, any decisions made without Ukraine, are at the same time decisions against peace. They will bring nothing. These are dead decisions; they will never work.”
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-blasts-zelensky-for-showing-resistance-to-potential-land-swap-with-russia">criticized</a> Zelensky over his comments, saying that he disagrees “very, very severely&#8221; and “was a little bothered” by Zelensky&#8217;s pushback. Trump believes that a land swap would benefit both Ukraine and Russia. The Kremlin expects the Trump-Putin talks to last between six and seven hours on Friday, adding that the Russian side &#8220;expects&#8221; the meeting to &#8220;end productively.&#8221;
If the talks are productive, Trump and Putin are expected to conclude the summit with a joint press conference, but Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956393685416866101">said</a> that he would &#8220;head back home real fast&#8221; if the meeting doesn&#8217;t go well.

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