Zelenskyy Open to Putin Meeting After Breakthrough White House Summit as Starmer Sees ‘Real Progress’
A dramatic shift in the Ukraine conflict could be on the horizon after Volodymyr Zelenskyy signalled his readiness to meet Vladimir Putin, following high-stakes White House talks that also drew praise from Sir Keir Starmer.
The Ukrainian president, standing outside the West Wing on Monday evening, declared he was prepared for negotiations. But he stressed that no formal date has been fixed.
“If Russia proposed to president of the United States bilateral, and then we will see the result of bilateral, and then can be the trilateral,” Zelenskyy told reporters, making clear he was open to discussions in “any format.”
His words followed intense talks led by US President Donald Trump, who revealed he had personally phoned Putin to begin sketching out a direct Zelenskyy-Putin meeting, with himself later joining for a trilateral. Trump insisted Moscow had agreed to accept international security guarantees for Ukraine.
Starmer says talks finally moved forward
Sir Keir Starmer, who joined the Washington summit alongside France’s Emmanuel Macron and NATO’s Mark Rutte, called the conversations “good and constructive.”
“There was a real sense of unity between the European leaders that were there, and president Trump and president Zelensky,” the Prime Minister said, hailing two “material outcomes” from the talks.
The first: that European partners will now work with the US to secure long-term guarantees for Ukraine’s defence.
The second: confirmation that a bilateral agreement between Putin and Zelenskyy is being pursued, an arrangement born out of Trump’s afternoon call to the Kremlin.
“That is a recognition of the principle that on some of these issues … Ukraine must be at the table,” Starmer added, emphasising that prisoner exchanges, territorial disputes and the return of children are matters Kyiv must decide directly.
This comes after talks in London, highlighting Britain’s central role in Europe’s push for a resolution to the war.
Trump puts himself in the middle
Trump, meanwhile, used his Truth Social platform to describe the meetings as “very good,” while pointing to “the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine.”
“Everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine. At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting…” – President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/avDo5j39F9
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 18, 2025
He suggested upcoming three-way talks “have a good chance” of ending the war, though he appeared divided over the role of a ceasefire, first dismissing its necessity, then admitting leaders would prefer one as they work towards lasting peace.
Before Monday’s discussions, Trump had already met Putin in Alaska, where he claimed the Russian leader had tentatively agreed to security guarantees for Ukraine.
His envoy, Steve Witkoff, floated the idea of a NATO-style pledge from Washington, short of Kyiv actually joining the alliance.
Zelenskyy says peace is the only road
During the summit, Zelenskyy expressed satisfaction with the level of support.
“Ukraine will never stop on the way to peace,” he said, adding that America’s role was central to safeguarding Europe.
Trump formally introduced Starmer as a “friend” at the table, a move that appeared to smooth earlier tensions between Washington and London.
Starmer described the security proposals as “a historic step”, insisting they could reshape both Ukraine’s safety and Europe’s wider stability. He went further, calling potential trilateral talks “a sensible next step.”
From dress code drama to warm handshakes
Zelenskyy arrived at the White House in his trademark dark attire — black blazer and buttoned shirt — echoing his wartime image. In February, Trump had privately grumbled about his choice of outfit. This time, the atmosphere appeared far warmer.
The Ukrainian leader even admitted Monday’s gathering was “the best” he’d attended so far.
“We are very happy with the president that all the leaders are here, and security in Ukraine depends on the United States and on you and on those leaders who are with us in our hearts,” he said.
The question now is whether rhetoric turns into reality. A Putin-Zelenskyy handshake, overseen by Trump, would mark the most significant diplomatic breakthrough since the war began.
For Starmer, the trip was worth cutting short his summer holiday. For Zelenskyy, it could be the moment Ukraine edges closer to peace.
And for Trump, it may become the defining foreign policy gamble of his presidency.
