Trump hails 'big progress on Russia' ahead of Washington summit
3 Min Read
European leaders prepare to join Trump and Zelensky in Washington talks, as debates over security guarantees and possible new sanctions on Russia intensify.
-
US President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin arrive for a press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska (AP)
US President Donald Trump on Sunday celebrated what he described as “big progress” on Russia, days after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska for a high-stakes summit aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
“BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, offering no further details.
White House envoy Steve Witkoff said Trump and Putin agreed to “robust security guarantees” for Ukraine, describing them as potentially “game-changing". Speaking on CNN, Witkoff noted that Russia had made unspecified concessions regarding five Ukrainian regions central to the war, particularly the Donetsk province in the east.
“There is an important discussion with regard to Donetsk and what would happen there,” Witkoff said, adding that these details would be further clarified during Monday’s Washington meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders.
Preparing for a Washington summit
Trump will host Zelensky alongside several European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, to discuss possible ways to end the war in Ukraine.
The summit comes after Trump dropped his initial push for a ceasefire following the Alaska meeting, a move that had been one of Washington’s core demands prior to the talks, to which Ukraine and European allies were not invited.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that a ceasefire “is not off the table” but said the ultimate goal remains ending the war.
Rubio also cautioned that failure to reach a peace agreement could bring “consequences,” including the possible imposition of new sanctions on Russia. “If we’re not going to be able to reach an agreement, then there are going to be consequences, not only the continuation of the war, but potentially new sanctions on top of existing ones,” he told NBC.
Zelensky skeptical of Russian guarantees
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed skepticism over Russia’s willingness to provide security guarantees, despite Witkoff’s comments and support from EU officials.
“What President Trump said about security guarantees is much more important to me than Putin’s thoughts, because Putin will not give any security guarantees,” Zelensky told a press conference in Brussels alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Zelensky stressed that Ukraine itself must maintain a strong army, supported financially by Europe, while welcoming US security guarantees.
Von der Leyen also indicated her desire for a trilateral meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky, though she acknowledged that Russia had given no indication it would participate. Zelensky echoed that if Russia refuses, “new sanctions must follow.”
