- Donald Trump likened Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to children fighting, expressing uncertainty about a direct bilateral meeting between them.
- Trump had previously stated he was arranging a meeting between Putin and Zelensky, with a trilateral summit involving himself to follow.
- During an Oval Office interview, Trump suggested the conflict might need to continue a little longer before the parties are ready to stop fighting.
- A recent meeting between Trump and Putin on 12 August concluded without any agreement to end the war, with Putin reportedly demanding Ukraine cede the Donbas region.
- White House officials reportedly believe some European leaders are prolonging the war by publicly backing Trump's peace efforts while privately advising Zelensky to await a more favourable deal.
IN FULL