Washington, August 18, 2025. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky heads into talks with U.S. President Donald Trump facing what Bloomberg described as an “existential dilemma”: either risk provoking the anger of the White House or agree to a rapid peace deal that could force major concessions.
According to Bloomberg, Trump’s insistence on a full peace agreement—rather than a temporary ceasefire—has left Zelensky with little room for maneuver. The Ukrainian leader arrives in Washington alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Yet, as the outlet notes, the influence of these European allies is uncertain, and some of them have close personal ties to Trump.
Pressure to Accept a Deal
The Wall Street Journal reported that European officials expect Trump to press Zelensky hard to accept terms. According to accounts shared with WSJ, Bloomberg, the Financial Times, and Reuters, Trump told his Ukrainian and European counterparts after the recent Alaska summit that Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from all of Donbas. In return, Moscow would freeze the front lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, while handing back territories it seized in Sumy and Kharkiv. Bloomberg added that Trump made clear the decision on territorial concessions would ultimately rest with Ukraine.
European diplomats told WSJ that Zelensky’s main task on Monday is to persuade Trump there are better alternatives for achieving the U.S. president’s stated goal: a rapid end to the war.
Trump’s Position After Meeting Putin
Following his meeting with Putin, Trump shifted from seeking an immediate ceasefire to demanding a comprehensive peace deal. Writing on Truth Social, he argued that “the best way to end the conflict is a peace agreement, not a ceasefire that is often broken.”
The New York Times, citing senior European officials, reported that Trump privately told allies a swift settlement was possible if Ukraine agreed to surrender the entirety of Donbas.
U.S. Officials Signal Concessions Are Inevitable
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said the “significant progress” made during the summit with Putin encouraged Washington to pursue a permanent deal:
“We intend to reach an agreement that will end the fighting forever—and very quickly. Faster than a ceasefire,” Witkoff said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to CBS, acknowledged that both sides would have to compromise:
“If there are no concessions, if one side gets everything—that’s capitulation. And that’s not what we’re aiming for, because neither side is near capitulation.”
Moscow Holds Firm
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has repeatedly ruled out any “territorial exchange” with Kyiv. He said in February that Russia has never considered and will never consider giving up its land. Putin himself stated before the Alaska summit that his conditions remained unchanged: the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.
