'We'll give them very good protection, very good security' — Trump says in White House meeting with Zelensky
President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at the White House on Aug. 18 for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.
In the Oval Office, Zelensky said Ukraine wants to end the war and welcomed Trump's signal of openness to trilateral negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "We are ready for trilateral talks. As president said, it's a good signal about trilateral," Zelensky told reporters.
"If everything works out well today, we'll have a trilat — and I think there will be a reasonable chance of ending the war when we do that," Trump added.
When asked whether security guarantees for Ukraine could involve U.S. troops, Trump avoided reponding directly, saying "we're going to work with Ukraine, we're going to work with everybody, and we're going to make sure that if there's peace, the peace is going to last long term."
"We'll give them (Ukraine) very good protection, very good security" Trump said later, when. asked on security guarantees for Ukraine again.
On the question of a ceasefire, Trump said he doesn't think Ukraine "needs a ceasefire."
"If you look at the six deals that I settled this year, they were all at war. I didn't do any ceasefires... I like the concept of a ceasefire for one reason, because you'd stop killing people immediately. But strategically, you can also understand why one country or the other wouldn't want it," Trump said.
A ceasefire has long been a key Ukrainian demand, backed by European allies, to begin peace talks with Russia. Zelensky has repeatedly called for a truce to halt civilian casualties, even as Russian strikes on Zaporizhzhia and other cities continued on Aug. 18, killing and injuring civilians.
When asked what message Trump had for Ukrainians "suffering under Russian attacks," American president said he "loves" Ukrainian people.
"I know Ukrainian people. I've known many over the years. They're great people... I love the Ukrainian people. But I love all people. I love the Russian people. I love them all. I want to get the war stopped," Trump said.
Trump also confirmed that he expected another call with Putin later in the day and tied it directly to the prospect of talks in Washington. “We may or may not have a trilat,” he said. “If we don’t have a trilat, then the fighting continues. And if we do, we have a good chance. I think if we have a trilat, there’s a good chance of maybe ending it.”
The Ukrainian president handed Trump a personal letter from his wife, Olena Zelenska, addressed to U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. Earlier, Melania Trump had written a letter to Putin about Russia's abduction of Ukrainian children.
"Taking this opportunity, I want to thank your wife, the first lady of the United States. She sent a letter to President Putin about our abducted children, and my wife, the first lady of Ukraine, has given this letter," Zelensky said.
Trump also confirmed that he expected another call with Putin later in the day after all the meetings with Zelensky and European leaders.
Five U.S. officials will join Trump in the Oval Office for the meeting, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, BBC reported on Aug. 18.
Zelensky will be accompanied by Andriy Yermak, head of the president's office, and Rustem Umerov, head of National Security and Defense Council.
Zelensky is joined in Washington by a delegation of European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte are to join as well. The leaders are expected to take part in broader discussions following Zelensky's one-on-one meeting with Trump, American president said.
Ahead of the White House talks, Zelensky met with European leaders at Ukraine's embassy in Washington.
"Together with the leaders of Finland, the United Kingdom, Italy, the European Commission, and the NATO Secretary General, we coordinated our positions ahead of the meeting with President Trump," Zelensky wrote on X.
"Ukraine is ready for a real truce and for establishing a new security architecture. We need peace," Zelensky added.
The meeting comes just days after Trump's Aug. 15 summit in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which did not include Zelensky and produced no breakthrough.
Trump later said he and Putin had "made some headway," but European allies expressed concern over his openness to discussing land swaps or concessions to Moscow.
Ahead of the White House talks, Zelensky met Kellogg in Washington.
"President Trump invited Ukraine and other European countries to Washington today — this is the first meeting in such a format, and it is very serious," Zelensky wrote on X, saying the talks focused on the battlefield situation, Ukraine's diplomatic efforts, and the path to peace.
Trump has increased pressure on Zelensky ahead of the summit, posting on Truth Social that the Ukrainian president could end the war "almost immediately" if he chose to.
Trump suggested Ukraine would not be allowed to join NATO or reclaim occupied Crimea under any settlement, signaling positions closer to Moscow's demands.
Zelensky's previous meeting with Trump at the White House in February devolved into a heated confrontation.
