(VOVWORLD) - Officials of several countries on Tuesday expressed optimism about negotiations on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, voicing hope that an agreement could soon be reached.
 US President Donald Trump meets with European leaders at the White House in Washington, D.C., US, August 18, 2025. (Photo: REUTERS/Alexander Drago) |
In a statement, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said that during a phone call following the meeting between US President Donald Trump and European leaders at the White House, President Vladimir Putin and President Trump supported continued direct negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations. Ushakov said the two presidents agreed to maintain close communication on Ukraine and other urgent international and bilateral issues.
The same day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington hoped an agreement on ending the conflict in Ukraine could be reached at an upcoming trilateral meeting between the Presidents of the US, Russia, and Ukraine. He said that Washington is coordinating with European and non-European countries to build security guarantees for Ukraine.
In a post on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirmed Kyiv’s readiness to pursue peace and meet directly with the Russian President to end the conflict.
International media reported that Ukraine has committed to purchasing US weapons worth 100 billion USD, financed by Europe, as part of a deal to secure American security guarantees if a peace accord is reached. Additionally, Ukraine and the US will sign a 50 billion USD agreement to produce drones with Ukrainian companies.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said President Trump’s meeting with President Zelensky and other European and NATO leaders had been “very successful.” He said Ukraine’s NATO membership was not on the table, but the leaders discussed Article 5-type security guarantees for Ukraine.