U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15th, with the situation in Ukraine likely to dominate the agenda. Before the meeting, Trump issued a strong warning to Russia, declaring that Putin will face serious repercussions if he doesn’t agree to a ceasefire. Trump also indicated that a second meeting might occur, potentially involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Before the Trump-Putin meeting, Zelenskyy spoke with European leaders and Trump. Following the discussions, Zelenskyy said that the United States is ready to support Ukraine and that he told the U.S. President that Putin is ‘deceiving’ about the impact of sanctions.
European leaders have shown their open support for Zelenskyy before the Putin-Trump meeting. German Chancellor Merz stated that securing a ceasefire is the primary goal, and he added that Ukraine’s allies should increase pressure on Russia if it doesn’t comply.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised continued support for Ukraine and thanked Trump for trying to bring Putin to the negotiating table.
While the world is optimistic about the upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin, the specific conditions of a potential ceasefire remain unclear. Analysts believe that Putin might demand some territory in exchange for a ceasefire, while Ukraine’s President has refused to concede any Ukrainian land.
Russia currently controls approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory. Peace talks have been attempted before, including meetings in Ankara, Turkey, and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It remains to be seen whether Trump can successfully broker a ceasefire or if these efforts will be unsuccessful.