Trump: “All together” decided that a peace agreement was needed, not a temporary truce

The US President Donald Trump, after a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European leaders, and a meeting with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, said that "all together" decided that we should immediately move towards a peace agreement, rather than talk about a temporary truce.

Trump wrote about this on his social network.

"We all decided together that the best way to end the terrible war between Russia and Ukraine is to move directly to a peace agreement that will end the war, not just a ceasefire agreement that is often not implemented," the US president wrote.

Regarding Volodymyr Zelenskyʼs visit to the Oval Office on August 18, he stated that "if everything works out, we will schedule a meeting with President Putin".

What is known about the negotiations?

Putin and Trump held three-on-three talks on August 15. The meeting lasted about three hours, after which the US president and the Kremlin leader made brief statements, but did not answer journalistsʼ questions. The leaders did not make any significant statements about the ceasefire in Ukraine and related issues, but both spoke positively about the talks.

On the morning of August 16, Trump had a phone conversation with Volodymyr Zelensky, which lasted over an hour and a half — first one-on-one, then European leaders joined in. The US President informed Zelensky about his meeting with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin on August 15 and the main points of their conversation.

At the same time, it became known that Trump invited Volodymyr Zelensky to meet on August 18 in Washington — the Ukrainian president says that there they will discuss "all the details after the killings are over, after the war is over".

• Trump has previously said that there is a "good chance" of a meeting with Putin and Zelensky. He has said that if he doesnʼt get the answers he needs from Putin, the trilateral meeting wonʼt happen.
• The Kremlin leader, commenting on the possibility of meeting with Zelensky, stated that there are currently no suitable conditions for this.
• Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly emphasized that a ceasefire is needed first, and only then can the details of a lasting peace be discussed. European leaders hold the same position.

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