August 17, 2025 - Ukraine war talks updates | CNN Politics

August 17, 2025 - Ukraine war talks updates

Saskya Vandoorne Lauren Kent Sophie Tanno Elise Hammond Matt Meyer Kathleen Magramo
By Kevin Liptak, Laura Sharman, Mitchell McCluskey, Saskya Vandoorne, Lauren Kent, Sophie Tanno, Caitlin Danaher, Billy Stockwell, Elise Hammond, Matt Meyer, Michael Rios and Kathleen Magramo, CNN
Updated 12:09 AM EDT, Mon August 18, 2025
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What we covered here

• European leaders head to US: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be joined by key European leaders when he meets with Donald Trump on Monday. Trump has previewed the message he’ll deliver: Zelensky must agree to some of Russia’s conditions — including that Ukraine cede Crimea and agree never to join NATO — for the war to end.

• Trump envoy signals progress: Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to allow US security guarantees for Ukraine and made concessions on “land swaps” as part of a potential peace deal during his summit with Trump, Steve Witkoff said. Russia has yet to mention such agreements, which appear at odds with Putin’s statements.

• Trump’s reversal: Trump is now focused on securing a peace deal without pursuing a temporary ceasefire due to his progress with Putin, Witkoff said. Zelensky insists on an immediate ceasefire before a full peace agreement.

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Zelensky confident of guaranteeing Ukraine’s security as he lands in Washington

From CNN's Kathleen Magramo
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on Sunday.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on Sunday.
AP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington DC late Sunday ahead of crucial talks with US President Donald Trump, saying he is confident of Ukraine obtaining security guarantees with the support of European leaders.

“I have already arrived in Washington, tomorrow I am meeting with President Trump. Tomorrow we are also speaking with European leaders. I am grateful to @POTUS for the invitation,” Zelensky wrote on X.

Zelensky will meet with Trump for bilateral talks in the Oval Office, before Trump meets with European leaders.

“We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably. And peace must be lasting,” Zelensky wrote.

Zelensky suggested new security guarantees would need to be stronger than those that “didn’t work” in the past, citing the loss of Crimea to Russia, which Moscow’s illegally annexed in 2014.

“Ukrainians are fighting for their land, for their independence,” he said, adding that he hoped the show of strength from the US and Europe would help “force Russia into a real peace.”

Earlier, President Trump suggested Ukraine would need to give up the idea of regaining Crimea or joining NATO as part of the peace talks.

Trump tells Zelensky to give up Crimea and agree to never join NATO

From CNN’s Kevin Liptak
US President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., on February 28, 2025.
US President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., on February 28, 2025.
Brian Snyder/Reuters

On the eve of highly consequential talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a large delegation of European leaders, President Donald Trump on Sunday previewed the message he’ll deliver to his White House visitors: Zelensky must agree to some of Russia’s conditions for the war in Ukraine to end.

The post underscored the pressure Zelensky will face Monday as Trump works to end the conflict. The two conditions he listed — that Ukraine cede Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014, and that it agree never to join NATO — are among the conditions Vladimir Putin has set for ending the war.

European leaders visiting the White House with Zelensky on Monday are concerned the meeting will amount to Trump pressuring the Ukrainian leader to accept the conditions Putin put forward in their Alaska summit last week.

They hope to glean more information from Trump on what Russia might concede as part of a peace deal, including what role the US would play in providing security guarantees going forward.

The European delegation: French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will join Zelensky for the visit.

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