U.S. President Donald Trump says he has called Russian President Vladimir Putin and begun to arrange a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a critical step toward bringing a possible end to Russia’s war on Ukraine. Trump said the meeting’s location will be determined later.
Trump, Zelenskyy and European leaders met at the White House earlier on Monday for hastily assembled multilateral talks, which came after Trump met with Putin on Aug. 15 and shut the other leaders out. European political leaders joined discussions as they pursue means to safeguard Ukraine and the continent from any widening aggression from Moscow.
What to know about today’s White House meeting:
- Security guarantees for Ukraine: On the table for discussion are possible NATO-like security guarantees that Ukraine would need for any peace with Russia to be durable. Putin opposes Ukraine joining NATO outright, yet Trump’s team claims the Russian leader is open to allies agreeing to defend Ukraine if it comes under attack.
- The annexation of Crimea: Sunday night, Trump suggested that Ukraine could not regain Crimea, which Russia annexed illegally in 2014, setting off an armed conflict that led to its broader 2022 invasion. Trump says Putin reiterated that he wants the key Donetsk and Luhansk regions that make up the Donbas.
- A potential peace accord: Trump has abandoned a push for a ceasefire, arguing instead for a full peace agreement, a position held by Putin. Moscow has long said it’s not interested in a temporary truce and is seeking a long-term settlement that takes the Kremlin’s interests into account. The president’s surrogates argue the pivot is due to strong progress made at the summit.
Other news we’re following:
- Texas redistricting gerrymander: Texas Democrats say they’re ending a two-week walkout that stalled GOP efforts to redraw districts to satisfy Trump’s demands for a more partisan congressional map. Democratic leaders say they’re returning after seeing California Democratic leaders proceed with plans to redraw their own U.S. House maps to neutralize Republican gains in Texas.
