Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Washington, DC, where he will be joined by key European leaders when he meets with Donald TrumpΒ this afternoon. Trump says Zelensky must agree to some of Russiaβs conditions β including thatΒ Ukraine cede Crimea and agree never to join NATOΒ β for the war to end.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spelled out his demands for βland swapsβ with Ukraine during his summit with US President Donald Trump in Alaska, including his insistence that Ukraine give up its eastern Donbas region, according to European officials. Russia has also demanded that Ukraine give up Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014, and agree to never join NATO.
In exchange, Putin said he would be willing to freeze the current front lines in the rest of Ukraine, Trump told European leaders.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has continued to push for security guarantees that ensure any peace deal reached is βlasting,β and has reiterated that Ukraineβs βborders must not be changed by force.β
Putin signed off on allowing βrobustβ security guarantees as part of an eventual peace accord, including a provision that would provide for a collective defense of Ukraine by the US and Europe should Russia attempt another invasion, according to the Trump administrationβs special envoy Steve Witkoff.
NOW – Zelensky says Ukraine's constitution makes giving up land "impossible," and should only be discussed at a trilateral meeting; if Russia "refuses," more sanctions "must" be imposed. pic.twitter.com/7wicKa5erW
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) August 17, 2025
