US President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders at the White House to discuss peace prospects between Russia and Ukraine. Trump announced arrangements for a bilateral meeting between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, followed by a trilateral meeting including himself. Zelensky expressed readiness for an unconditional meeting with Putin and emphasized the need to consider ways to end the war. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated the Zelensky-Putin meeting is expected within two weeks, though details remain undecided. Merz highlighted the importance of European involvement in security guarantees and noted Zelensky’s view that a ceasefire is essential before such talks. The White House meeting included leaders from France, Finland, Italy, the UK, Germany, the European Commission, and NATO. Trump thanked Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and special envoy Steve Witkoff for their coordination efforts. The discussions focused on Ukraine’s security guarantees coordinated with European countries and the broader goal of ending the nearly four-year conflict. (Updated 19 Aug 2025, 07:00 IST; source: link)