Donald Trump has ruled out sending American troops to help enforce a peace deal in Ukraine, after yesterday affirming the U.S. would “help them out.”
In a phone interview on Fox News, Trump was asked: “What kind of assurances do you feel like you have, going forward, past this Trump administration, that it won’t be American boots on the ground defending (Ukraine’s) border?”
“Well, you have my assurance, and I’m president,” Trump responded. Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet with Vladimir Putin in the next two weeks.
While Trump has ruled out sending troops, the UK is preparing to deploy troops to Ukraine as part of a “reassurance force” if a peace deal with Russia is reached.
The U.S. leader also blamed Ukraine for “taking on a nation that’s 10 times your size” despite Russia enacting the full-scale invasion.
“At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelensky. After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
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Trump caught on hot mic saying he thinks Putin ‘wants to make a deal for me – as crazy as it sounds’
Ukraine-Russia latest: Key points
- Trump says US will assure Ukraine's security in a peace deal
- US president threatens 'rough situation' if Putin does not make a deal
- As Putin assures Trump he seeks peace, Kremenchuk is attacked
- Trump rules out sending troops to enforce peace deal
What to know about the Ukraine-Russia peace talks
17:09
,
Katie Hawkinson
President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several key European leaders met in the White House yesterday to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine.
Now, Trump says he’s arranging for a meeting between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Trump has started to arrange for a meeting between Putin and Zelensky, he wrote on Truth Social. He then hopes to set up a trilateral meeting between himself, Putin and Zelensky.
- The U.S. president ruled out sending American troops to Ukraine to enforce a potential peace deal on Tuesday.
- Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov did not commit to any meetings between Putin and Zelensky while speaking to Russian state media on Tuesday. He also warned that “any contacts involving top officials must be prepared with the utmost care,” CNN reports.
- Zelensky called Monday’s meetings “a significant step toward ending the war and ensuring the security of Ukraine and our people.”
White House addresses reports that Trump called Putin during European leaders meeting
18:39
,
Katie Hawkinson
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed reports that President Donald Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin while European leaders were gathered at the White House.
A reporter asked Leavitt why Trump took that call when the European leaders weren’t in the room.
“So these leaders, who, this war is in their backyard, are very grateful that the president took that call and that he was there to provide them with a readout of Russia's thinking on this, something that was not done by the previous administration at all,” Leavitt responded.
Trump wants Russia and Ukraine to engage in 'direct diplomacy'
18:31
,
Katie Hawkinson
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump wants Russia and Ukraine to engage in “direct diplomacy.”
This comes after Trump said he is arranging a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. After that meeting, Trump hopes to have a trilateral meeting between himself, Putin and Zelensky.
Leavitt’s remarks came after a reporter asked: “Can you explain how this went from a trilateral meeting involving President Trump to now the focus being on this bilateral meeting without the president first?”
“The president has spoken to both leaders about this, and both leaders have expressed a willingness to sit down with each other, and so our national security team will help both countries do that,” Leavitt responded.
“Ultimately, the president has always said that there are areas of disagreement in this war that will have to be discussed and decided upon by these two countries, and so he wants these two countries to engage in direct diplomacy,” she added.
Watch: Trump blames Ukraine for ‘taking on nation that’s 10 times your size’ despite Russia being the one that invaded
18:30
,
Bryony Gooch
White House reaffirms U.S. troops won't go to Ukraine
18:27
,
Katie Hawkinson
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has reaffirmed that U.S. troops won’t be sent to Ukraine to enforce any potential peace deal with Russia.
However, the U.S. could be involved in other security guarantees, she said.
“The President has definitively stated U.S. boots will not be on the ground in Ukraine, but we can certainly help in the coordination and perhaps provide other means of security guarantees to our European allies,” Leavitt said.
See it: Trump holds golf club gifted to him by Zelensky
18:06
,
Katie Hawkinson
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gifted President Donald Trump a golf club during their White House meeting on Monday.
The golf club was originally given to Zelensky by Kostiantyn Kartavtsev, a junior sergeant in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Kartavtsev lost his leg in the early months of Russia’s invasion, and golf was a part of his “rehabilitation,” according to a statement from Zelensky’s office.
The sport “helped him regain balance — both physical and emotional,” the release said.
Watch live: White House holds media briefing after Putin and Zelensky meetings
17:58
,
Katie Hawkinson
The White House is holding a briefing after President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several key European leaders met in the White House.
Watch live:
European Commission VP says EU will train Ukraine's soldiers as part of security guarantees
17:45
,
Katie Hawkinson
European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas said the European Union will help train and strengthen Ukraine’s forces as part of security guarantees for the nation.
“Putin cannot be trusted to honour any promise or commitment,” Kallas wrote on X. “Therefore, security guarantees must be strong and credible enough to deter Russia from re-grouping and re-attacking.”
“The EU will contribute to these security guarantees, notably by the training of Ukrainian soldiers and strengthening Ukraine’s armed forces and defence industry,” she added.
The EU will also continue to target Russia with sanctions.
UK preparing to send troops to Ukraine as part of ‘reassurance force’ if peace deal is struck
17:37
,
Millie Cooke
The UK is preparing to deploy troops to Ukraine as part of a “reassurance force” if a peace deal is reached with Russia – but Donald Trump has ruled out the US doing the same.
Keep reading:
What happened the one and only time Zelensky and Putin met?
17:30
,
Alex Croft
Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky may soon meet Russian president Vladimir Putin again, for the first time since 2019.
A summit in Paris six years ago was the first and only time the two presidents ever met, flanked by French president Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s then-chancellor Angela Merkel. At the time, Putin and Zelensky were looking to hash out a ceasefire deal for war in Donbas in Ukraine’s east, where Russia-backed forces were fighting Ukrainian troops.
Keep reading:
European Council President says diplomatic activity is 'accelerating'
17:15
,
Katie Hawkinson
European Council President Antonio Costa said diplomatic activity to end the war in Ukraine is “accelerating.”
“After three and a half years of war, diplomatic activity is accelerating, and there is growing momentum around providing Ukraine with security guarantees, including the agreement of United States President Trump to participate in this effort. We welcome this,” Costa told reporters Tuesday, according to CNN.
“Our top priority must be to stop the killings. Whether we call it a ceasefire or a truce is secondary,” Costa added. “What matters is that we maintain pressure through sanctions if Russia does not comply. More than ever, it is crucial to maintain strong pressure on Russia.”
While President Donald Trump initially called for a ceasefire between the nations, he has since advocated for a peace deal instead.
Watch: Zelensky reacts as Trump declares Washington DC was 'the most unsafe place anywhere'
17:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Russia’s Foreign Minister claims Rubio 'liked' his CCCP sweater
16:58
,
Katie Hawkinson
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has claimed that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he liked his sweater bearing the letters “CCCP,” the Cyrillic letters for the Soviet Union, CNN reports.
Lavrov wore the sweater ahead of President Donald Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
Lavrov said the U.S. delegation in Alaska reacted without “any hysteria,” according to CNN.
The sweatshirt appeared to be a tongue-in-cheek reference to claims from Putin’s critics, who say he wants to rebuild Soviet Russia.
Lavrov downplayed critics’ concerns on Tuesday: “I think there is no imperialism here, no attempts to revive imperial thinking, as some in the West like to say, we are not talking about that.”
The Independent has contacted the U.S. State Department for comment.
Bryony Gooch has more on Lavrov’s sweater:
NATO military leaders to meet Wednesday
16:45
,
Katie Hawkinson
NATO Military Committee chair, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, will lead a meeting on Wednesday with defense leaders from all 32 member countries.
“As diplomatic efforts to secure peace in #Ukraine progress, looking forward to his update on the current security environment,” Dragone wrote on X.
This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and key European leaders — including NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte — met in the White House over the war in Ukraine. The group discussed security guarantees for Ukraine, and Trump is now arranging a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky.
Watch: Trump says there will be no US troops in Ukraine as part of peace deal
16:38
,
Bryony Gooch
UK elections watchdog to help Ukraine plan for post-war votes
16:29
,
Bryony Gooch
Britain's elections watchdog has agreed to help its Ukrainian counterpart plan for post-war votes.
The co-operation deal will see the Electoral Commission share with Kyiv best practice on cybersecurity and voter education when Ukrainians next go to the polls.
Elections are on hold in Ukraine while the country is under martial law, following Russia's invasion in February 2022.
"The delivery of well-run elections that command public confidence and trust is crucial to a healthy and free democracy," said watchdog chief executive Vijay Rangarajan.
He added: "We are proud to welcome our colleagues and friends from Ukraine to the UK and sign this agreement of co-operation.
"There is a lot that we can learn from each other and deepening the ties between us will help us share expertise and learning in the coming years.
"We stand ready to support Ukraine as it prepares for future post-war elections."
In pictures: European leaders meet with Trump in Oval Office
16:25
,
Katie Hawkinson
Several European leaders joined President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office on Monday night to continue their talks to end the war in Ukraine.
The leaders initially met with Trump elsewhere in the White House before moving to the Oval Office.
The leaders present included British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Talks about territorial changes needed to end Ukraine war, says Slovak PM
16:22
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Bryony Gooch
In order to make progress towards ending the war in Ukraine, Western countries must accept that Ukraine cannot join NATO and that discussions about changes to its territory will be necessary, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Tuesday.
"The first basic prerequisite for ending the conflict is the understanding that Ukraine cannot become a NATO member state," he said after a meeting of European Union leaders. "Equally important is the factual understanding that without a discussion on territorial changes in Ukraine, we will not move forward."
Switzerland ready to play host to Putin for peace talks
16:09
,
Bryony Gooch
Switzerland would be ready to host Russian President Vladimir Putin for any peace talks on Ukraine despite an existing arrest warrant for him from the International Criminal Court, Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said on Tuesday.
Neutral Switzerland is a signatory to the ICC but Cassis told Swiss national broadcaster SRF that provided Putin was coming for peace purposes, the country could receive him.
"This has to do with our diplomatic role, with international Geneva as (the European) headquarters of the United Nations," Cassis told the broadcaster.
French President Emmanuel Macron mooted Geneva as a potential location for Ukraine peace talks between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy after a meeting between U.S. President Trump, Zelenskiy and European leaders in Washington.
The ICC issued its warrant in 2023, just over a year after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, accusing Putin of the war crime of deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine.
Russia denies allegations of war crimes and the Kremlin, which did not sign the ICC's founding treaty, has dismissed the warrant as null and void.
Meloni caught making strange confession to Trump at Ukraine summit
15:57
,
Bryony Gooch
Watch: Ukrainian sniper 'kills two Russians with single bullet from 2.5miles away in world record'
15:41
,
Bryony Gooch
Trump blames Ukraine for ‘taking on nation 10 times your size’ despite Russia being the one that invaded
15:30
,
Bryony Gooch
Breaking: Trump rules out sending troops to enforce peace deal
15:22
,
Bryony Gooch
President Donald Trump has ruled out sending American troops to help enforce a potential peace deal in Ukraine, despite him expressing an openness to the idea yesterday.
In a phone interview on Fox News, Trump was asked: “What kind of assurances do you feel like you have, going forward, past this Trump administration, that it won’t be American boots on the ground defending (Ukraine’s) border?”
“Well, you have my assurance, and I’m president,” Trump responded.
Putin hopes to meet with Zelensky one-on-one. Trump insists the meeting needs to involve him
15:12
,
Bryony Gooch
EU's Costa: Ukraine's membership process must go forward
14:55
,
Bryony Gooch
European Council President Antonio Costa said on Tuesday the process to make Ukraine a member of the European Union needs to advance and Europe has to be part of any peace negotiations alongside Ukraine, Russia and the United States.
Costa, who debriefed council members about Monday's talks in Washington via a video call from Lisbon, told reporters that although there was much to be done and no guarantees of success, the very possibility of a bilateral meeting between Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin was "in itself fairly positive".
Russia pounds Ukraine with largest aerial bombardment in a month hours after Trump-Zelensky meeting
14:39
,
Bryony Gooch
UK preparing to send troops to Ukraine as part of ‘reassurance force’ if peace deal is struck
14:31
,
Bryony Gooch
Coalition of the willing to meet US counterparts to set up 'robust security guarantees'
14:22
,
Bryony Gooch
Coalition of the willing planners will meet their US counterparts “in the coming days”, amid efforts to set up “robust security guarantees”, No 10 has said.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister (Sir Keir Starmer) co-chaired a virtual meeting of the coalition of the willing this morning with over 30 international leaders to update on the talks in Washington last night.
“The Prime Minister began by reflecting on the constructive meeting, saying it was clear there was a real sense of unity and shared goal of securing a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.
“Turning to next steps, the Prime Minister outlined that coalition of the willing planning teams would meet with their US counterparts in the coming days to further strengthen plans to deliver robust security guarantees and prepare for the deployment of a reassurance force if the hostilities ended.
“The leaders also discussed how further pressure – including through sanctions – could be placed on (Russian president Vladimir) Putin until he showed he was ready to take serious action to end his illegal invasion.
“The Prime Minister said he looked forward to updating the group again soon, as further work progressed in the coming days and weeks.”
What has the Coalition of the Willing achieved?
14:13
,
Bryony Gooch
"The coalition of the willing has been successful in advocating for Ukraine and communicating with Trump and the US administration during its outreach to Russia," says Edward Arnold from the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) think tank.
"Moreover, it has undertaken lengthy military planning and has established a leadership and command structure. However, much remains uncertain, especially the nature of any agreed ceasefire or whether a broader peace process is on the cards."
But the US's commitment is "far from certain", he told the PA news agency, and warned that "European planners cannot progress the planning until the US position is agreed".
Watch: Starmer says Ukraine step closer to peace with Russia after Trump talks
14:01
,
Bryony Gooch
Why is the future of Ukraine’s Donbas region becoming a key issue in peace talks?
13:45
,
Bryony Gooch
Trump offers more detail on US security guarantees
13:30
,
Alex Croft
More is coming through from Donald Trump’s interview on Fox and Friends, where he is discussing next steps in efforts towards peace in Ukraine.
There will be no US boots on the ground assisting peacekeeping efforts in the war-torn country, Trump vowed. He said European countries will do this instead.
The US president said Ukraine should never have asked to join Nato, adding that while the US will provide some kind of security guarantee, it will not be Nato membership.
Trump also denied claims that he called Putin while in the middle of meeting European leaders - and said that his warm relationship with the Russian leader is a good thing.
Analysis: 'A bilateral with Putin is dangerous for Zelensky'
13:30
,
Bryony Gooch
As Volodymyr Zelensky appears set to sit down with Vladimir Putin in the next two weeks, Chatham House research fellow Orysia Lutsevych has warned that this could be dangerous for Ukraine’s leader.
While the worst case scenario "of Trump selling Ukraine out to Putin was avoided" at Monday's talks, she affirmed that a bilateral could become confrontational.
"A bilateral with Putin is dangerous for Zelensky. Even if it happens, which is highly unlikely, Putin will blame him for obstructing peace, being unreasonable. In such a case, the question is: who Donald Trump will trust and blame for his failed peacemaking efforts."
Trump threatens 'rough situation' if Putin does not make a deal
13:20
,
Alex Croft
Donald Trump has threatened Vladimir Putin with a “rough situation” if he is not “good” in his approach towards peace in Ukraine.
"We're going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks ... It's possible that he doesn't want to make a deal," Trump said, adding that Putin faced a "rough situation" if that was not the case.
"I hope President Putin is going to be good," the US president added, speaking to the Fox and Friends.
Analysis: This was worse than the last time Trump met Zelensky. It was also deeply weird
13:15
,
Bryony Gooch
The low point among a sea of low points was probably the U.S. president laughing and saying, ‘So you’re saying if we happen to be in a war with somebody, no more elections?’ Holly Baxter writes.
Your views: ‘Appeasing bullies never works’: Readers split over Trump’s push for Putin-Zelensky peace talks
13:00
,
Bryony Gooch
12:52
,
Bryony Gooch
All participants at a meeting of the 'Coalition of the Willing' confirmed the need for continued support for Ukraine, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk has said
"The leaders of Canada, Japan, Turkey, New Zealand, and European countries assessed the outcomes of the Alaska meeting very realistically," he wrote on X. "We all confirmed the need for continued support for Ukraine in the war with Russia."
Przywódcy Kanady, Japonii, Turcji, Nowej Zelandii i państw europejskich ocenili bardzo realistycznie efekty spotkania na Alasce. Wszyscy potwierdziliśmy potrzebę dalszego wsparcia Ukrainy w wojnie z Rosją. Dobre wprowadzenie do rozpoczynającej się właśnie Rady Europejskiej.
— Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) August 19, 2025
12:47
,
Bryony Gooch
Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, is hosting a video conference for members of the European Council as a debrief on Ukraine talks.
“The EU firmly supports the Ukrainian people and President Zelensky. Ukraine has been — and will remain — at the top of Leaders’ agendas in the weeks and months ahead, as we continue to support efforts toward a just and sustainable peace. As a first step, Russia must immediately end the violence.”
The video conference with the members of the European Council for a debrief on the talks regarding Ukraine began a few minutes ago.
— António Costa (@eucopresident) August 19, 2025
The EU firmly supports the Ukrainian people and President @ZelenskyyUa.
Ukraine has been — and will remain — at the top of Leaders’ agendas in the… pic.twitter.com/KBNZG2nVWd
UK accused by Moscow of wanting to escalate conflict
12:45
,
Bryony Gooch
Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has said “Britain remains obsessed with escalating [Ukraine] conflict” after British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer chaired a meeting with the Coalition of the Willing.
“We call upon London to abandon its reckless geopolitical gambits & refrain from obstructing painstaking efforts by Russian & US negotiators.”
Watch: Deadly Russian strike devastates eastern Ukraine before Trump and Zelensky meet
12:29
,
Bryony Gooch
Breaking: Russian foreign minister says land swaps often crucial in conflict settlements
12:26
,
Bryony Gooch
Territorial changes are often an essential component of conflict resolution, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the Rossiya-1 state TV channel.
Russia currently occupies around a fifth of Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump, who is engaged in negotiations with both Russian and Ukrainian leaders to end the war, has said that "land-swapping" and territorial adjustments will be key to any potential settlement.
What European leaders have said about the meeting at the White House
12:15
,
Bryony Gooch
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is “ready for a bilateral with Putin” after speaking with Trump and other European leaders.
UK prime minister Keir Starmer has said he was "very pleased" with the outcome of the meeting today, which demonstrated a "real sense of unity" among the leaders. He emphasised that "no decision should be made about Ukraine, without Ukraine".
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged Trump to "put pressure on Russia for a ceasefire. "I can't imagine that the next meeting would take place without a ceasefire," he said.
French president Emmanuel Macron echoed Merz's comments for a ceasefire, but also said that European military forces should help Ukraine with "boots on the ground".
Finnish president Alexander Stubb struck a more cautious tone, saying there was "nothing concrete" about US participation in security guarantees for Ukraine. As for the bilateral meeting between Zelensky and Putin, he said the Russian leader "cannot be trusted".
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni said one of the most important questions was "how to be sure that it won't happen again, which is the precondition of every kind of peace".
In pictures: Smoke rises over Kremenchuk after night of bombardment
12:01
,
Bryony Gooch
Round up: Global foreign ministers reaffirm commitments to Ukraine
11:46
,
Bryony Gooch
Here are some statements from the Canadian, Finnish and Norwegian foreign ministers in which they reaffirm their commitments to Ukraine.
Canadian foreign minister Anita Anand said that Canada would be there for Ukraine in both the short and long term.
Finland’s foreign minister Elina Valtonen said that only Ukraine could decide its own borders, adding that the country had started work with the Coalition of the Willing on sending troops to Ukraine, without any major decisions
