Zelenskyy’s Defiance, Trump’s Deal: A Tense Summit

As Ukraine pushes for NATO and weapons, Trump’s territorial proposals, domestic distractions, and Dan Bongino’s rumored FBI exit cloud the path to peace

A Tense White House Gathering

In the gilded halls of the White House, President Donald Trump welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and leaders from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, the Netherlands (via NATO’s Mark Rutte), and the EU on August 18, 2025, aiming to broker peace in Ukraine’s war with Russia. The 70-minute summit, a follow-up to Trump’s controversial Alaska meeting with Vladimir Putin on August 15, stirred hope but also concern—could hasty concessions embolden Russia’s expansionist aims or undermine democratic norms at home? This analysis, drawing on White House discussions, expert insights from Michael McFaul (former U.S. ambassador to Russia), Fredrik Löjdquist (director of Sweden’s Centre for Eastern European Studies), Joakim Paasikivi (Swedish military strategist), and Lev Parnas (former Trump associate), explores NATO’s role, the crisis of 20,000 kidnapped Ukrainian children, territorial risks, Zelenskyy’s weapons deal, leadership pressures, and economic sanctions. It also integrates a path forward proposed by Greg Wilson, a former Reagan official, who sees a chance for Trump to achieve “Peace through Strength.”

The summit marked a thaw from February’s tense Trump-Zelenskyy meeting, tainted by Trump’s 2019 impeachment for pressuring Zelenskyy over Biden. Yet, the backdrop darkened as Trump hosted Putin, an ICC-indicted war criminal for kidnapping Ukrainian children, in Alaska. Zelenskyy thanked Trump for seeking to “stop this war” and backed a trilateral summit with Putin, whom Trump vowed to call, claiming a “reasonable chance” of peace. Talks focused on NATO-like security guarantees, a robust Ukrainian military, air defenses, and secure elections. Trump’s suggestion of a “possible exchange of territories” met Zelenskyy’s insistence on trilateral talks covering prisoner swaps and kidnapped children. Zelenskyy noted wartime laws bar elections, prompting Trump’s remark questioning their value during conflict, raising concerns about authoritarian undertones. Trump overstated U.S. aid at $300 billion, though congressional reports confirm $75-77 billion. No breakthroughs emerged, but a future summit looms, leaving Ukraine’s fate uncertain. Greg Wilson argues Trump missed two prior opportunities—failing to enforce a ceasefire deadline with Putin on August 8 and yielding no deal in Alaska—making this summit a critical third chance.