Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 18, 2025. (Photo by Mandel Ngan / AFP)
Washington: US President Donald Trump repeated on Monday his view that a ceasefire was not necessary to end the Russia-Ukraine war, echoing earlier comments that brought his position more in line with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who he met last week.
"I don't think you need a ceasefire," Trump said, sitting alongside Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. "I know that it might be good to have, but I can also understand strategically why one country or the other wouldn't want it. You have a ceasefire and they rebuild and rebuild and rebuild and you know maybe they don't want that."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 18, 2025. (Photo by Mandel Ngan / AFP)
Trump says to call Putin after talks with Zelensky, Europeans
Trump said he will speak by telephone with Putin, three days after they met and following White House talks with the leaders of Ukraine and European allies.
"I just spoke to President Putin indirectly and we're going to have a phone call right after these meetings today," Trump told reporters.
Ukraine supporters participate in a rally outside of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building near the White House ahead of the meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European leaders and US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, on August 18, 2025. (Photo by Amid Farahi / AFP)
Optimism on ending war
"I think if everything works out well today we'll have a trilat, and I think there will be a reasonable chance of ending the war when we do that," said Trump.
Zelensky, who came backed by a phalanx of top European leaders, praised Trump.
"Thank you very much for your efforts, personal efforts to stop killings and stop this war," he said.
The leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Finland and the European Commission and NATO were at the White House in a show of support for Ukraine, as Trump pushed Kyiv to give up Crimea and abandon its goals of joining NATO.
They were due to meet with Trump shortly.
