Kyiv, 16 August (H.S.): In a pivotal diplomatic move, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Washington on Monday for discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at advancing an end to Russia’s prolonged invasion of Ukraine.
Zelensky announced the visit on Saturday, shortly after a lengthy phone call with Trump. According to the Ukrainian leader, their conversation began privately before expanding to include several European counterparts. “On Monday, I will meet with President Trump in Washington, D.C., to explore every detail of how to bring an end to the killing and the war. I am grateful for the invitation,” Zelensky emphasized.
The talks come on the heels of Trump’s high-profile summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week — a meeting that ended without a ceasefire or tangible breakthrough. While the discussions reportedly touched upon the framework for future negotiations, no meaningful progress was announced, leaving Kyiv and its allies pressing for broader international involvement.
Zelensky reiterated Kyiv’s demand that European partners must remain engaged “at every stage” of the peace process. He also renewed Ukraine’s call for a trilateral summit involving Trump, Putin, and himself — a format that has long been favored in Kyiv but firmly resisted by the Kremlin.
“Ukraine underscores that decisive issues must be addressed directly by the leaders themselves, and a trilateral format is the most appropriate framework,” Zelensky stressed.
The Washington meeting is expected to test whether Trump’s direct channels with Moscow can yield a viable path toward a ceasefire, or whether the war — now dragging into its fourth year — risks hardening further into a protracted stalemate.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
