Articles

# President Trump Recaps Breakthroughs in Ukraine Peace Talks

The White House
August 19, 2025

In an exclusive interview on Fox & Friends this morning, President Donald J. Trump provided an inside look at yesterday’s historic White House peace summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key European leaders. Detailing his bold diplomacy, President Trump emphasized his unwavering commitment to stopping the bloodshed and securing lasting peace, rallying European allies to lead on security and paving the way for an ultimate resolution to the war.

Here’s what you missed:

- President Trump said he arranged a bilateral meeting between President Putin and President Zelenskyy: “I thought I’d first let them meet. They haven’t been exactly best friends… It only matters if we get things done… I hope that President Zelenskyy will do what he has to do. He has to show some flexibility also.”
- President Trump described his call with President Putin: “I told him that we’re going to set up a meeting with President Zelenskyy, and you and he will meet, and then after that meeting, if everything works out OK, I’ll meet and we’ll wrap it up. It takes, in this case, two to tango. They have to have somewhat of a relationship, otherwise we’re just wasting a lot of time.”
- President Trump underscored the situation’s urgency by describing an interaction with a fellow leader: “At the table, one of the gentlemen… he said, ‘Well, let’s meet in another month or two and let’s see if we can start making some…’ I said, ‘A MONTH OR TWO!? You’re going to have another 40,000 people dead in a month or two — you have to do it TONIGHT.’ And I did, actually — I called President Putin and we’re trying to work out a meeting with President Zelenskyy.”
- President Trump explained what has surprised him about President Putin and President Zelenskyy: “I think the fact that maybe they’re getting along a little bit better than I thought, otherwise I wouldn’t have set up the [bilateral] meeting, I would’ve set up a three — a trilat. But I think they’re doing a little bit better. There’s been tremendous bad blood.”
- President Trump outlined how long-term peace in Ukraine could be secured: “They’re not going to be a part of NATO, but we’ve got the European nations and they’ll front-load it and they’ll have, some of them — France, Germany, UK — they want to have boots on the ground. I don’t think it’s going to be a problem, to be honest with you.”
- President Trump rejected American troops defending Ukraine’s border: “You have my assurance — and I’m President. I’m just trying to stop people from being killed.”
- President Trump detailed his discussions with European leaders: “They want to get back to leading their countries. They’re consumed with this far more than we are… There will be some form of security. It can’t be NATO because that’s just not something that would ever, ever happen.”
- President Trump commented on his relationship with European leaders: “I think really, they have respect for our country again. A year ago, they wouldn’t have come. They wouldn’t have even thought about it. Now, we’ve become the hottest country anywhere in the world. Everybody wants to be here.”

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