Trump-Putin summit: Zelenskyy to travel to DC on Monday to meet with President Trump

Trump invited European leaders to join the meeting with the Ukrainian president.

Last Updated: August 17, 2025, 3:05 PM EDT

Following what was described as a “lengthy” phone call with President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he will travel to Washington on Monday to meet with President Donald Trump. A White House official said Trump has invited European leaders to join the meeting on Monday afternoon.

Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Alaska on Friday and while Putin mentioned an "agreement" in the post-meeting news conference and Trump said "great progress" was made, there was no mention of a ceasefire.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Aug 16, 2025, 11:50 AM EDT

Trump says trilateral meeting with Zelenskyy was discussed in Alaska, Kremlin denies

Russian President Vladimir Putin's top foreign policy aide, Yury Ushakov, who was present at the summit between Putin and President Donald Trump in Alaska, said a new meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not discussed on Friday.

"For now the issue wasn't raised," Ushakov said, according to Russian state media.

President Donald Trump shakes the hand of Russia's President Vladimir Putin during a joint press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 15, 2025.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

When asked by Fox News' Sean Hannity whether a trilateral meeting did come up during the summit, Trump responded, "Yeah, it did."

But earlier in the interview, Trump said the meeting was being set up while also saying right after, "I didn't ask about it."

-ABC News' Patrick Reevell and Quinn Scanlan

Aug 16, 2025, 6:14 AM EDT

European leaders issue joint statement on Trump-Putin summit

In the first major statement from Ukraine’s European allies following the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, European leaders reiterated Friday that Kyiv "must have ironclad security guarantees" and "welcomed President Trump's efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine."

"We are clear that Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity," the European leaders added. "It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory. International borders must not be changed by force."

"As President Trump said ‘there's no deal until there's a deal'. As envisioned by President Trump, the next step must now be further talks including President Zelenskyy, whom he will meet soon," the statement continued. "We are also ready to work with President Trump and President Zelenskyy towards a trilateral summit with European support."

-ABC News' Guy Davies

Aug 16, 2025, 5:25 AM EDT

Trump says the best way forward is "to go directly to a Peace Agreement" without a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine

In a post on his social media platform, President Trump said that the best way to move forward and end the war between Ukraine and Russia is "to go directly to a Peace Agreement" without any form of a ceasefire.

"It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump touted that Friday's meeting in Alaska was successful and discussed his overnight phone call with President Zelenskyy and European allies.

In his interview with Bret Baier yesterday, Trump said he wouldn't be happy if he walked away from the summit without some form of a ceasefire deal.

"I'd like to see a ceasefire. I wouldn't be thrilled if I didn't get it. But everyone says you're not going to get the ceasefire, it'll take place on the second meeting. The second meeting is going to be very, but I'm not going to be happy with that. So, we'll see what happens. I'm going to be, I won't be happy if I walk away without some form of a ceasefire. Now, I say this, and I've said it from the beginning, this is really setting the table today," Trump said in Friday's interview.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie

Aug 16, 2025, 4:27 AM EDT

Russian strikes on Ukraine overnight amid Putin-Trump summit

Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with a ballistic missile and 85 drones, the Ukrainian Air Force said Saturday morning.

Ukraine’s air defense systems repelled 61 of the drones, while missile and drone strikes were recorded at 12 locations across the country, according to the air force.

Meanwhile, Russia’s air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 29 Ukrainian drones overnight, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.

-ABC News' Yulia Drozd and Anna Sergeeva

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