U.S. President Announces Plans for Russia-Ukraine Bilateral Meeting

The President of the United States held a meeting with the President of Ukraine at the White House on August 18, followed by a multilateral meeting with several European leaders. The President announced the initiation of arrangements for a bilateral meeting between the President of Russia and the President of Ukraine, with the location yet to be determined. Subsequently, a trilateral meeting involving the leaders of the United States, Russia, and Ukraine is planned to take place.

The President expressed satisfaction with the meeting, stating that it was "very pleasant." The discussions focused on security guarantees for Ukraine, which would be provided by European countries in coordination with the United States. All parties expressed optimism about the possibility of peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Following the meeting, the President made a phone call to the President of Russia to begin the arrangements for the bilateral meeting between the two leaders. The President emphasized that this initiative represents a significant early step towards resolving the nearly four-year-long conflict.

The President also revealed that the Vice President, the Secretary of State, and a special envoy are currently coordinating with Russia and Ukraine to facilitate these meetings. The President of Ukraine, in a press conference following the White House meeting, described it as the most successful meeting between the two countries, highlighting the in-depth discussions on various details. The President of Ukraine expressed support for the proposed trilateral summit, noting that while the United States suggests holding it as soon as possible, it requires consensus from all parties. The Russian side proposed that a bilateral meeting between the President of Russia and the President of Ukraine should precede the trilateral talks. The President of Ukraine indicated his willingness to meet with the President of Russia.

If the meeting between the President of Russia and the President of Ukraine takes place, it would be the first face-to-face encounter between the two leaders since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022. The President of Russia's aide confirmed that the President of the United States and the President of Russia had a phone conversation lasting approximately 40 minutes. The aide described the conversation as candid and constructive, with both leaders expressing support for direct negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian representatives. They also discussed the possibility of elevating the level of representatives in the direct talks.

During the meeting, the leaders of the United States, Ukraine, and other European countries demonstrated a unified stance. Despite some disagreements, all leaders expressed a desire to end the Russia-Ukraine war. The Chancellor of Germany suggested that a ceasefire agreement should be reached before any further meetings with the President of Russia. However, the President of the United States held a different view, stating that a ceasefire is not a prerequisite for achieving a peace agreement.

Details regarding the specific security guarantees that Ukraine will receive remain scarce. The President of the United States left open the possibility of U.S. military involvement but emphasized that Europe would play a leading role in this initiative. Prior to the meeting with the President of Ukraine, the President of the United States stated that the deployment of U.S. troops for peacekeeping in Ukraine is not ruled out.

The President of Ukraine, in his remarks, clearly stated that Ukraine requires "all security-related guarantees," including military support, weapons, training, and intelligence. He stressed that only through the commitments of the United States and other major powers can Russia be compelled to seek peace. The meeting at the White House on August 18 followed a summit between the President of the United States and the President of Russia in Alaska the previous Friday. This summit marked the first visit by the President of Russia to U.S. soil since 2015. Both sides gave positive evaluations of the meeting, but no agreement was reached on issues such as a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.