U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin's meeting on August 15th will focus on the Ukraine war. Ahead of the meeting, Trump has warned Putin that if the war does not stop, Russia will face serious consequences. European leaders have also openly expressed their support for Ukraine.
Ukraine war: The crucial meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15th will be entirely focused on the Ukraine war. Before the meeting, Trump issued a stern warning to Putin, stating that if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire, it will face severe consequences. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spoken with European leaders and Trump to secure support, while countries like Germany and the UK are also firmly standing by Ukraine.
Zelenskyy's Discussion Before Putin
Before meeting with Putin, Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and several European leaders. Zelenskyy stated after the discussion that the United States is ready to fully support Ukraine. He also told Trump that Putin is misleading the world about the impact of international sanctions.
According to Zelenskyy, the war has caused significant economic damage to Russia, but Putin is trying to show strength instead of acknowledging this damage. Meanwhile, several major European leaders have also openly come out in support of Ukraine.
Europe's Open Support
Ahead of the meeting between Putin and Trump, German Chancellor Merz stated that his priority is to ensure a ceasefire. He said that if Russia is not ready for this, Ukraine's allies will put more pressure on it.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also reiterated his continued support for Ukraine and expressed his gratitude to Trump for bringing Putin to the negotiating table. This stance of European leaders may put additional pressure on Putin.
Ceasefire Terms Still Unclear
Although there are positive expectations from the meeting between Trump and Putin, there is still no clarity on the terms of a ceasefire. Experts believe that Putin may demand some territory for Russia in exchange for a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has already said that he is not ready to cede even an inch of his country's land.
The reality on the ground is that Russia currently occupies approximately 20 percent of Ukraine's territory. Earlier, ceasefire talks have also taken place in Ankara, Turkey, and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but so far, no concrete result has been achieved.
Failure of Previous Efforts
Efforts for peace talks are not new. In the past year, meetings held in Turkey and Saudi Arabia also attempted to stop the war, but both sides remained firm on their respective positions. Putin is not in the mood to abandon his military strategy and occupied territories, while Zelenskyy is not ready to compromise his sovereignty.
International analysts believe that Trump's presence and his tough stance may give a different direction to the talks this time, but this will only be possible if both sides are willing to make some concessions.
