After Putin Summit, Trump calls for Direct Peace agreement in Ukraine War

August 16, 2025

New York: US President Donald Trump says that after his summit with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, he is dropping his demand for a ceasefire and instead wants to go directly for a peace agreement to end the Ukraine War.  

Following Friday’s late-night call with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders, he said in a Truth Social post that it was “determined” that a peace agreement was the way to go.

“It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up”, he posted early Saturday morning, Washington time.

“I want to see a ceasefire — rapidly. I don’t know if it’s going to be today, but I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today… I’m in this to stop the killing”: US President Donald Trump ahead of #AlaskaSummit pic.twitter.com/trrc1DwwK8

— NDTV (@ndtv) August 15, 2025

European leaders and Zelensky are sceptical about any arrangement that does not include an immediate ceasefire because Russia could take more Ukrainian territory to strengthen its negotiating position.

Trump had said that he would talk to Putin about his continued attacks on Ukraine while diplomacy was underway.

He asserted in the Truth Social post that the summit on Friday in Alaska was “very successful” and his calls with Zelensky and other European leaders went “very well”.

He said that Zelensky was coming to the White House on Monday afternoon, and “if all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin”.

Trump did not reveal the “the most significant” difference he had with Putin that blocked a deal.

At a news conference after the Friday summit in Alaska, he said there were “a couple of big ones that we haven’t quite gotten there, but we’ve made some headway”.

“One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there”, he said.

Trump appeared to have walked back on his earlier claims that he would insist on a ceasefire and end the talks if there wasn’t an agreement on one.

Flying to Alaska, he told reporters on Air Force One, “I want to see a ceasefire rapidly”.

“I don’t know if it’s going to be today, but I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today”, he added.

Zelensky said on X that the European leaders coordinated their positions and wanted a ceasefire “as soon as possible”.

“The positions are clear. We need to achieve real peace that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions”, said, adding, “We must stop the killings as soon as possible, ceasefire both on the battlefield and in the skies, and against our port infrastructure”.

Today, following a conversation with President Trump, we further coordinated positions with European leaders. The positions are clear. A real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions.

Killings must stop as soon as…

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 16, 2025

He said that he asked Trump to strengthen sanctions against Russia if talks with Putin did not materialise.

“In the conversation with President Trump, I emphasised that sanctions should be strengthened if there is no trilateral meeting or if Russia evades an honest end to the war”, he said.