Zelenskyy to travel to Washington on Aug 18, pledges “constructive cooperation”

Following the conclusion of the Trump–Putin summit in Anchorage, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed he will travel to Washington on Aug 18 at the invitation of US President Donald Trump.

This will be their second meeting this year, following a tense Oval Office encounter in February.

Zelenskyy described his conversation with Trump as “long and substantive,” noting it lasted approximately an hour—initially one-on-one and joined later by several European and NATO leaders.

He expressed Ukraine’s readiness for “maximum constructive cooperation” to end the war, emphasizing the need for reliable security guarantees, backed by both the US and European allies.

Reflecting on peace efforts, Zelenskyy endorsed Trump’s earlier idea of a trilateral summit involving the US, Russia, and Ukraine. He stated, “Ukraine emphasizes that key issues can be discussed at the level of leaders, and a trilateral format is suitable for this.”

Yet Russian officials have said such a meeting was not discussed during the Alaska summit.

Zelenskyy also stressed that European nations should be “involved at every stage” to ensure the credibility of security assurances alongside the US.

This emphasis was seen by international observers as Ukraine signaling caution regarding potential US–Russia alignment.

Importantly, Zelenskyy highlighted that during his calls, Trump relayed Putin's preference for pursuing a “comprehensive peace deal” rather than a ceasefire, referring to it as a potentially more durable agreement.

Zelenskyy’s Washington visit underscores Ukraine’s pursuit of multilateral security guarantees amid stalled peace talks.

His endorsement of a trilateral format reflects a willingness to directly address tough issues at the leadership level, while ensuring European voices are part of the process.

Despite the summit, no ceasefire or peace agreement was reached. Both Trump and Putin described significant alignment in points discussed but deferred major decisions to Zelenskyy and European partners.

NATO and EU leaders continue to monitor developments from the summit, with several holding closed meetings to assess outcomes and coordinate next steps.

Military hostilities continue even as diplomatic engagements unfold as Russia’s attacks on Ukraine persist.