News Brief
Trump Urges Ukraine To Strike Deal With Russia After Summit With Putin
Putin and Trump
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday (16 August) that Ukraine should make a deal with Russia to end the war, arguing that “Russia is a very big power, and they’re not.”
His remarks came after a summit where Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly demanded more Ukrainian territory.
Putin’s Proposal and Zelenskiy’s Rejection
Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Putin had offered to freeze most battle lines if Kyiv ceded full control of Donetsk, a major industrial region Moscow has targeted since 2014, Reuters reported, citing sources.
Zelenskiy rejected the proposal. Russia already controls about one-fifth of Ukraine, including three-quarters of Donetsk province.
Peace Deal Without Ceasefire
Trump said he and Putin agreed that a peace settlement should be pursued without the preliminary ceasefire that Ukraine and its European allies had previously demanded with US support.
Zelenskiy confirmed he would meet Trump in Washington on Monday.
European leaders welcomed US efforts but pledged to tighten sanctions on Moscow while maintaining support for Kyiv.
Alaska Summit: First US-Russia Talks Since 2022 Invasion
Friday’s meeting in Alaska was the first US-Russia summit since Moscow’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. It lasted three hours.
Trump later wrote on Truth Social that “the best way to end the horrific war” was through a full peace agreement, not a ceasefire that “often times do not hold up.”
His comments would be welcomed in Moscow, which insists on a comprehensive settlement but admits positions remain “diametrically opposed.”
War Casualties and Ongoing Offensive
The war, Europe’s deadliest in 80 years, has killed or wounded more than a million people, including thousands of Ukrainian civilians.
Next Steps and Divisions
Trump suggested that if Monday’s talks with Zelenskiy go well, he would schedule another meeting with Putin.
The talks recall a February Oval Office session where Trump and Vice President J D Vance publicly reprimanded Zelenskiy.
While Zelenskiy said he was open to direct talks with Putin, the Russian leader has shown no willingness to shift on territorial claims.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told TASS that no three-way summit was under discussion.
Land Concessions and Security Guarantees
In an interview with Fox News, Trump said he and Putin had “largely agreed” on issues including land transfers and security guarantees for Ukraine, declaring: “I think we’re pretty close to a deal.”
He added that Ukraine would have to agree, remarking: “Maybe they’ll say ‘no.’”
Trump’s advice to Zelenskiy was blunt: “Gotta make a deal.”
Zelenskiy has consistently ruled out ceding territory, citing Ukraine’s constitution.
He emphasised that Donetsk’s fortified cities, such as Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, remain crucial defenses.
The Ukrainian leader has also pressed for lasting security guarantees, noting “positive signals from the American side,” and insisted Kyiv needs a permanent peace, not “just another pause” before future Russian invasions.
