In a week marked by high-stakes diplomacy and heightened tensions, President Donald Trump has launched an ambitious effort to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia, even as skepticism lingers over the reliability of the promises made by all sides. The whirlwind of activity began on August 18, 2025, when Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a group of European leaders at the White House, setting the stage for what he described as a breakthrough in efforts to end the ongoing war.
According to Politico, the meeting was a far cry from the contentious Oval Office encounter earlier in the year. Zelensky, dressed in a suit to signal his seriousness, was joined by European leaders who pressed Trump to continue supporting Ukraine and to seek a ceasefire before considering any long-term peace deals with Russia. The stakes could hardly be higher: Ukraine continues to rely on the United States for military and economic aid, but trust in Trump’s commitments remains shaky. As Yuriy Sak, a former adviser to Ukraine’s defense ministry, put it, “We have to hope for the best knowing everything we know.”
The meeting’s tone was notably more positive than previous encounters, with Trump embracing Zelensky and even commenting on the Ukrainian leader’s change in attire. “I love it,” Trump said, as reported by Nexstar Media. Yet beneath the surface, doubts persisted. Daria Kaleniuk, a prominent Ukrainian civil society activist, described the talks as “like a reality show, which will lead to nothing,” emphasizing the need for Ukraine to become more self-reliant in the face of Russian aggression.
The diplomatic drama escalated when Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin at 1 a.m. Moscow time, a move he later explained on Fox News was made privately out of respect for Putin. Trump then announced on Truth Social that he was making arrangements for a summit between Putin and Zelensky, with the possibility of a trilateral meeting including himself. “Everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine,” Trump posted, according to Politico.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani quickly floated the idea of holding these peace talks in Geneva, Switzerland—a city with a storied history of international diplomacy. The Swiss foreign minister added a twist by declaring that Switzerland would grant immunity to Putin if he attended the talks, a move designed to facilitate negotiations but not without controversy, as reported by Reuters.
Despite the flurry of diplomatic gestures, the situation on the ground in Ukraine remains dire. On the night before Trump’s Fox News call-in, Russia launched a major attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, sparking widespread fires and underscoring the urgency of the crisis. Yet, even as Trump has promised Ukraine “very good security,” he has also made clear there will be no U.S. boots on the ground. “There would not be U.S. troops in Ukraine to defend the Ukraine-Russia border as part of any security assurances to end the war,” he assured the Fox News hosts on August 19.
Trump’s approach has drawn both praise and criticism. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte called Trump’s willingness to participate in security guarantees for Ukraine “a breakthrough” and told him, “It’s really a breakthrough. And it makes all the difference.” However, many Ukrainians and foreign policy experts remain wary. Trump’s history of abrupt reversals and his tendency to echo Kremlin talking points, especially regarding the status of Crimea, have left Kyiv and its allies uncertain about the durability of any agreement he might broker. Hanna Hopko, a former Ukrainian lawmaker, didn’t mince words, saying, “It’s about American credibility. It’s not about Trump. You guys are losing credibility worldwide.”
European leaders, meanwhile, see the talks as an opportunity to spur greater involvement from the continent. There is hope that the meetings could serve as a wake-up call for Europe to step up its support for Ukraine, including the release of billions in frozen Russian assets. As Kaleniuk argued, “It’s not about war in Ukraine, it’s about war in Europe, and Russia is the largest security threat to every single European country.”
For Ukraine, the diplomatic uncertainty is matched by a grim military reality. Ukrainian forces have been forced to innovate, manufacturing and deploying drones to strike targets deep inside Russian territory. Yet, the prevailing sentiment among many observers is that Ukraine faces an uphill battle, with Trump himself telling Fox News, “Look, Russia is a very big power, and they’re not.” The unpredictability of U.S. support only adds to the challenge.
Back in Washington, D.C., Trump’s administration has ramped up security measures, doubling the number of National Guard troops patrolling the city from roughly 800, with additional reinforcements pledged by Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, and West Virginia. There are indications that these troops may soon be armed, marking a significant escalation. Since federal law enforcement took control of D.C. on August 7, more than 450 arrests have been made, including over 50 on the night of August 18, according to Nexstar Media.
As if the political and military tensions weren’t enough, nature has added its own drama. Hurricane Erin, churning in the Atlantic, is expected to intensify throughout the week, bringing dangerous riptides and storm surges to the East Coast. Nearly 85 rip current rescues were reported on August 18 alone, with the majority in North Carolina’s Wrightsville Beach. Tropical storm and storm surge watches have been issued for North Carolina’s Outer Banks, and waves of up to 20 feet are possible along the coastline from the Outer Banks to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and parts of Long Island, New York, according to AccuWeather.
As the world watches, the coming days will test the resolve of leaders in Washington, Kyiv, Moscow, and across Europe. With Zelensky estimating that peace negotiations could be finalized within ten days, the clock is ticking. Yet, for all the optimism and high-level maneuvering, the fate of Ukraine—and the credibility of international diplomacy—hangs in the balance.
For now, the world waits, hoping that the flurry of meetings and promises will yield more than headlines, and that genuine progress toward peace is possible, even in the face of deep mistrust and daunting odds.