As US President Donald Trump seeks to negotiate an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and seven other European leaders made a short-notice visit to the White House on Monday.

The United States’ role in security guarantees for Ukraine was at the center of Monday’s talks. European leaders and Zelensky are eager to know what resources Trump will commit to ensuring, once a potential peace deal is reached, that Russia isn’t able to regroup and go after more territory down the road.

The talks came on the heels of Trump’s Alaska summit on Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump said on social media he has now begun arranging a meeting between Putin and Zelensky. After that bilateral meeting takes place, he said he will work on a trilateral meeting.

Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the past week, as well as some photos that caught our eye.

A firefighter helps extinguish a wildfire approaching the Portuguese village of Benvende on Thursday, August 14.
A firefighter helps extinguish a wildfire approaching the Portuguese village of Benvende on Thursday, August 14.
Pedro Nunes/Reuters
People carry the bodies of victims of Friday's <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fclimate%2Fgallery%2Fphotos-pakistans-deadly-monsoon-floods">flash flooding</a> after funeral prayers at a village near Pir Baba in northwest Pakistan on Saturday, August 16. Floods have claimed the lives of <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fndma.gov.pk%2Fsitrepm" target="_blank">at least 500 people</a> in the country since late June as heavy rain batters the country; almost half were children.
People carry the bodies of victims of Friday's flash flooding after funeral prayers at a village near Pir Baba in northwest Pakistan on Saturday, August 16. Floods have claimed the lives of at least 500 people in the country since late June as heavy rain batters the country; almost half were children.
Muhammad Sajjad/AP
A satellite view shows <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fweather%2Flive-news%2Fhurricane-erin-storm-path-east-coast-08-20-25">Hurricane Erin</a> on Wednesday, August 20. The unusually large hurricane delivered dangerous conditions at beaches along much of the East Coast, despite staying well offshore.
A satellite view shows Hurricane Erin on Wednesday, August 20. The unusually large hurricane delivered dangerous conditions at beaches along much of the East Coast, despite staying well offshore.
NOAA
A man walks past a giant rubber duck at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, Missouri, on Thursday, August 14.
A man walks past a giant rubber duck at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, Missouri, on Thursday, August 14.
Charlie Riedel/AP
Police officers stand guard in Mexico City on Sunday, August 17, after demonstrators smeared paint on their shields at a protest against the war in Gaza.
Police officers stand guard in Mexico City on Sunday, August 17, after demonstrators smeared paint on their shields at a protest against the war in Gaza.
Fernando Llano/AP
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet during <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2025%2F08%2F15%2Fpolitics%2Ftakeaways-trump-putin-summit-alaska">a summit on Ukraine</a> in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, August 15. “There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” Trump pronounced after the meeting, before he and Putin departed the stage without answering questions.
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet during a summit on Ukraine in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, August 15. “There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” Trump pronounced after the meeting, before he and Putin departed the stage without answering questions.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images
Travelers pass Air Canada flight attendants on strike at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Saturday, August 16.
Travelers pass Air Canada flight attendants on strike at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Saturday, August 16.
Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press/AP
Shiite Muslim women pray at the shrine of Saint Abdulazim in Shahr-e-Ray, Iran, on Thursday, August 14, during a ceremony to observe Arbaeen, which marks the end of a 40-day mourning period that commemorates the seventh century death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed.
Shiite Muslim women pray at the shrine of Saint Abdulazim in Shahr-e-Ray, Iran, on Thursday, August 14, during a ceremony to observe Arbaeen, which marks the end of a 40-day mourning period that commemorates the seventh century death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed.
Vahid Salemi/AP
Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu reacts while listening during a House meeting at the State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday, August 20. Texas lawmakers continued convening over a newly introduced plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu reacts while listening during a House meeting at the State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday, August 20. Texas lawmakers continued convening over a newly introduced plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images
A Ukrainian soldier walks past the scene of a Russian strike minutes earlier near Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on Sunday, August 17.
A Ukrainian soldier walks past the scene of a Russian strike minutes earlier near Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on Sunday, August 17.
Finbarr O'Reilly/The New York Times/Redux
Marc Marquez of Spain competes in the qualifying round for the MotoGP in Spielberg, Austria, on Saturday, August 16.
Marc Marquez of Spain competes in the qualifying round for the MotoGP in Spielberg, Austria, on Saturday, August 16.
Gold & Goose Photography/Getty Images
A Rohingya child holds a balloon at a refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, on Monday, August 18.
A Rohingya child holds a balloon at a refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, on Monday, August 18.
Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters
People gather to watch as the wooden Kiruna Church is moved in Kiruna, Sweden, on Tuesday, August 19. The church was being relocated due to the expansion of an iron-ore mine.
People gather to watch as the wooden Kiruna Church is moved in Kiruna, Sweden, on Tuesday, August 19. The church was being relocated due to the expansion of an iron-ore mine.
Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images
Palestinians struggle to collect humanitarian aid airdropped by parachutes into Gaza on Thursday, August 14.
Palestinians struggle to collect humanitarian aid airdropped by parachutes into Gaza on Thursday, August 14.
Jehad Alshrafi/AP
A migrant who recently arrived on the Greek island of Crete drinks water at a temporary shelter on Tuesday, August 19.
A migrant who recently arrived on the Greek island of Crete drinks water at a temporary shelter on Tuesday, August 19.
Giannis Angelakis/AP
Supporters throw confetti on former President Evo Morales before he voted in presidential and legislative elections in the Chapare region of Bolivia on Sunday, August 17.
Supporters throw confetti on former President Evo Morales before he voted in presidential and legislative elections in the Chapare region of Bolivia on Sunday, August 17.
Jorge Saenz/AP
Members of Ukraine's Armed Forces intercept Russian drones in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on Wednesday, August 20.
Members of Ukraine's Armed Forces intercept Russian drones in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on Wednesday, August 20.
Pierre Crom/Getty Images
A craftsman checks the grading of a polished diamond in Surat, India, on Friday, August 15.
A craftsman checks the grading of a polished diamond in Surat, India, on Friday, August 15.
Amit Dave/Reuters
Children play in the water of the Fontaine du Trocadero in front of the Eiffel Tower on a summer day in Paris on Friday, August 15.
Children play in the water of the Fontaine du Trocadero in front of the Eiffel Tower on a summer day in Paris on Friday, August 15.
Abdul Saboor/Reuters
An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man is carried by Israeli security forces during a protest against Israeli army conscription in Kfar Yona on Tuesday, August 19.
An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man is carried by Israeli security forces during a protest against Israeli army conscription in Kfar Yona on Tuesday, August 19.
John Wessels/AFP/Getty Images
An auction takes place in Kochi, India, on Thursday, August 14. Amidst rising global challenges, India’s seafood exporters are under growing pressure to stay competitive.
An auction takes place in Kochi, India, on Thursday, August 14. Amidst rising global challenges, India’s seafood exporters are under growing pressure to stay competitive.
Elke Scholiers/Getty Images
A staff member holds one of the 16 critically endangered western Santa Cruz tortoise hatchlings during their debut at the Philadelphia Zoo on Wednesday, August 20.
A staff member holds one of the 16 critically endangered western Santa Cruz tortoise hatchlings during their debut at the Philadelphia Zoo on Wednesday, August 20.
Matt Rourke/AP
Police and members of the Drug Enforcement Agency patrol the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, on Friday, August 15. President Trump has deployed members of the National Guard and agents from numerous federal agencies throughout the nation's capital.
Police and members of the Drug Enforcement Agency patrol the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, on Friday, August 15. President Trump has deployed members of the National Guard and agents from numerous federal agencies throughout the nation's capital.
Alex Kent/The Washington Post/Getty Images
A participant climbs a greasy pole to reach prizes during a traditional game called Panjat Pinang during celebrations to mark Indonesia's 80th Independence Day on Sunday, August 17, on the outskirts of Banda Aceh, Indonesia.
A participant climbs a greasy pole to reach prizes during a traditional game called Panjat Pinang during celebrations to mark Indonesia's 80th Independence Day on Sunday, August 17, on the outskirts of Banda Aceh, Indonesia.
Chaideer Mahyuddin/AFP/Getty Images
Humanoid robots fight during a kickboxing match on day two of the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Saturday, August 16.
Humanoid robots fight during a kickboxing match on day two of the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Saturday, August 16.
Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
Javier Báez of the Detroit Tigers prepares to bat in a game against the Minnesota Twins on Friday, August 15, in Minneapolis. The Tigers won 7-0.
Javier Báez of the Detroit Tigers prepares to bat in a game against the Minnesota Twins on Friday, August 15, in Minneapolis. The Tigers won 7-0.
Matt Krohn/AP
Storks stand on a field on the outskirts of Frankfurt, Germany, on Monday, August 18.
Storks stand on a field on the outskirts of Frankfurt, Germany, on Monday, August 18.
Michael Probst/AP
Serhii Nakhalenko cries as he holds his youngest son, Danylo, as he and his wife, Natalia, arrive with their other children at an evacuation transit area in Ukraine’s Donetsk region on Monday, August 18.
Serhii Nakhalenko cries as he holds his youngest son, Danylo, as he and his wife, Natalia, arrive with their other children at an evacuation transit area in Ukraine’s Donetsk region on Monday, August 18.
Ed Ram/The Washington Post/Getty Images
Zookeeper Jessica Ray watches Humboldt penguins at the London Zoo while recording their vital statistics on Tuesday, August 19. <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2025%2F08%2F14%2Fworld%2Fgallery%2Fphotos-this-week-august-7-august-14">See last week in 30 photos</a>.
Zookeeper Jessica Ray watches Humboldt penguins at the London Zoo while recording their vital statistics on Tuesday, August 19. See last week in 30 photos.
Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP