Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed raising the level of Russian and Ukrainian representatives in ongoing peace negotiations during a phone call Monday, a Kremlin aide said, after Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders at the White House.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the call, which lasted about 40 minutes and was initiated by Trump, focused on next steps in peace efforts. Both leaders “expressed their support for the continuation of direct negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations” and explored the idea of involving higher-level representatives, according to Ushakov.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) listens to his aide Yuri Ushakov (R) during the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council Meeting, December 26, 2024, in Igora ski resort, north of Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) listens to his aide Yuri Ushakov (R) during the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council Meeting, December 26, 2024, in Igora ski resort, north of Saint Petersburg, Russia.
AFP/Getty Images
Why It Matters
While the latest talks held Monday between Trump, Zelensky and European leaders did not produce an agreement to end the three-and-a-half-year Russian invasion, the gathering laid the groundwork for a long-anticipated trilateral meeting between Trump, Zelensky and Putin, with whom Trump met at a military base in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday.
Last week’s summit marked the first in-person meeting between Trump and Putin since Trump’s return to office and was described by both sides as candid but difficult. According to officials briefed on the talks, the Alaska meeting focused heavily on the conditions for a ceasefire and highlighted the deep divisions that remain over Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
What To Know
Russian state agencies RIA and TASS reported Monday that Putin thanked Trump for “the hospitality and progress achieved” at their summit Friday in Alaska. The two presidents also agreed to maintain close contact on Ukraine and “other pressing topics on the international and bilateral agenda,” Ushakov said in an audio message posted to the Kremlin’s official Telegram channel as reported by Reuters.
Putin emphasized the importance of Trump’s personal involvement in seeking a long-term resolution, calling the conversation “frank and highly constructive.”
The Kremlin’s readout came after Trump said earlier Monday that he had begun arranging a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelensky as part of U.S. efforts to broker an end to the nearly four-year war.
Trump said he would support European security guarantees for Ukraine during talks with Zelenskyy and the leaders of France, Britain, Germany, Italy and Finland, along with the European Commission president and NATO‘s secretary-general. But he stopped short of pledging U.S. troops, instead suggesting a “NATO-like” security presence, with details to be worked out in discussions with EU leaders.
Ukraine has proposed a $100 billion plan to buy U.S. weapons financed by Europe, alongside a $50 billion drone-production deal with American firms, as part of a push to secure U.S. security guarantees after any potential peace settlement with Russia, the Financial Times reported.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz cautioned that any Putin-Zelensky summit “must, like all meetings, be well-prepared; we will do this with President Zelensky.” He acknowledged it was unclear what results could come from the encounter.
The German leader stressed the urgency of securing a truce in Ukraine before any high-level talks proceed. He said it would be “desirable, and more than that, that there be a ceasefire in Ukraine at the latest with this meeting.”
“President Zelensky, for his part, said that he can hardly imagine having such a meeting with Putin without there being a ceasefire,” Merz added.
Trump said Monday on Truth Social that he would meet with both leaders after that bilateral meeting.
What People Are Saying
President Trump posted Monday, in part, “At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy. After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself. Again, this was a very good, early step for a War that has been going on for almost four years.”
Zelensky said Russia first suggested that Ukraine and Russia meet one on one, to be followed by a three-way meeting that would include Trump. Briefing reporters after the White House talks, Zelensky said “we are ready” for any leader-level meetings. He said it’s the only way to solve these “complicated and painful issues.”
What Happens Next
Merz said Monday that President Trump told him during the call with Putin that a meeting between the Russian president and Zelensky will take place within the next two weeks. The venue for the talks has not yet been decided, Merz said.
Update: 8/18/25, 7:41 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Update: 8/18/25, 7:57 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.