Trump, Zelenskyy, and European Leaders Agree on Five Principles for Peace in Ukraine

At a videoconference on August 13 involving U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and several European leaders, the group discussed ceasefire conditions between Ukraine and Russia and the possibility of a future tripartite meeting including Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy, reports Orda.kz.

According to Insider, European leaders and Trump agreed on five core principles for achieving peace:

• Ukraine must participate in any future talks with Putin
  
• A ceasefire must be the first step before negotiations begin
  
• Recognition of Russia‑occupied territories is off the table
  
• Ukraine’s armed forces must be able to defend the country’s sovereignty with Europe’s support
• A broader negotiation framework should be part of a “transatlantic strategy based on supporting Ukraine and applying pressure on Russia”

The leaders also discussed possible locations for a triple summit after the Alaska meeting, per Reuters.

After the call, Zelenskyy wrote in his Telegram channel:

We discussed the situation on the battlefield today. I told the U.S. President and all our European colleagues: ‘Putin is bluffing.’ He is trying to put pressure before the meeting in Alaska on all fronts of the Ukrainian battlefield. Russia is trying to create the impression it can occupy all of Ukraine. I said that Putin definitely does not want peace, he wants the occupation of our state. And we all truly understand this. Putin will not be able to deceive anyone. We need further pressure for peace — not only American but also European sanctions.

Afterwards, Trump himself said:

Asked whether he could convince Putin to stop targeting civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, Trump replied:

Well, I'll tell you what. I've had that conversation with him. I've had a lot of good conversations with him. Then I go home and I see that a rocket hit a nursing home, or a rocket hit an apartment building and people are laying dead in the street. So I guess the answer to that is no because I've had this conversation.

European leaders echoed the key themes: Ukraine must be central to peace negotiations; ceasefire is a priority; territories seized by force are not negotiable; and Ukraine must retain its sovereignty with Western security support.

Original Author: Oksana Matvienko