Outrage among Ukrainians over the US president's obsequious treatment of Putin
Trump and Putin meet in Alaska over Russia-Ukraine war, live: statements and latest news on possible peace deal today
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirms his trip to the United States next week."On Monday, I will meet with President Trump in Washington, D.C., to discuss all the details of ending the killing and the war. I appreciate the invitation," the leader said in the first public communication since the bilateral summit in Alaska. The White House resident spoke first with Zelensky, and then representatives of France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Finland, and Poland, along with leaders of the European Union and NATO, joined the conversation.
Zelensky's first message comes ten hours after the two leaders met on the other side of the world. The presidential statement avoids specific details. The details will be discussed in person. However, the next meeting with the Republican seems unpredictable.
In a message posted on his X profile, Zelensky claims that, in his telephone conversation with Trump, he insisted on the urgency of a ceasefire, the release of all prisoners of war, including kidnapped children, and the strengthening of sanctions.
In his view, it is necessary to achieve a true, lasting peace, not a mere pause between Russian invasions. The killing must stop as soon as possible, the firing must cease both on the battlefield and in the sky, as well as against our port infrastructure, the Ukrainian leader notes. All Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians must be released, and children kidnapped by Russia must be returned. Thousands of our citizens remain in captivity; all must be returned home. Pressure on Russia must be maintained as long as the aggression and occupation continue.
As he explained to Trump, sanctions should be strengthened if a trilateral meeting is not held or if Russia attempts to evade an honest end to the war. Sanctions are an effective tool. Security must be guaranteed reliably and long-term, with the participation of both Europe and the United States. All issues important to Ukraine must be discussed with Ukraine's participation, and no issue, especially territorial ones, can be decided without Ukraine.
Today, following a conversation with President Trump, we further coordinated positions with European leaders. The positions are clear. A real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 16, 2025
Killings must stop as soon as…
Trump's kindness toward Putin, along with his subsequent statements on Fox, noting that the meeting was a 10 in the sense that we got along wonderfully, suggest that the Kremlin leader has once again captivated the Republican. Donald Trump was once again visibly charmed and impressed by his counterpart, just as he was in 2018. The main result, therefore, is the emotional effect Putin can have on him. But this has limits, Russian politics expert Tatiana Stanovaya noted on social media.
One of the topics discussed was a possible meeting between the three leaders. The Kyiv government supports Trump's idea of bringing both sides together around the presence of the Kremlin leader. We support President Trump's proposal for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia. Ukraine emphasizes that key issues can be discussed at the leadership level, and a trilateral format is appropriate for that, the Ukrainian head of state emphasized.
Suspicion among Ukrainians
While the kind words were being exchanged in Alaska, suspicion and tension were palpable in the invaded country. As images of the handshake arrived, social media was ablaze in Ukraine. The world's number one war criminal... relegated to oblivion and welcomed as emperor on American soil, wrote pro-Ukrainian activist Ilia Ponomarenko on his X account. Disgusting. Shameful. And, in the end, useless, summarizes an editorial in the English-language Ukrainian newspaper The Kyiv Independent.
Zelensky and his inner circle watched from the sidelines as the first in-person meeting between the leaders of the United States and Russia since the start of a full-scale war in 2022. The bilateral summit in Alaska captured the attention of an entire country. The outcome was practically null. No ceasefire in sight, nor the sanctions promised by Trump. These restrictive measures should have been imposed on August 8, the deadline Trump set if Putin did not accept a truce.
At least Washington hasn't caved in to Moscow's demands for now. This lack of agreement could translate into relief for Kyiv, which will still have some room to maneuver next Monday. However, Trump reiterated the idea of territorial concessions, a red line for Ukraine, and the need for Zelensky to agree to peace. By engaging directly with Trump, Putin has shifted the diplomatic burden to Kyiv and European capitals, betting that they will reject the proposals he presents as reasonable and risk being seen as an obstacle to peace, noted Ukrainian military analyst Tatarigami.
