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On Monday (Aug. 18), the commander-in-chief hosted the embattled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, along with a group of European leaders who have a vested interest in settling an almost four-year war on their continent.
The first phase was a bilateral meeting between Trump and Putin last week in Alaska. The second phase was the strategy discussion at the White House with the Ukrainian leader; the heads of Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Finland; and joined by the NATO Secretary General and the president of the European Union.
The third phase is a trilateral meeting with Zelensky, Putin, and Trump to close on an agreement that will stop the fighting in Ukraine and lay the foundation for a lasting peace. This will not be easy.
While Trump and Zelensky spoke to press, the US president was asked about the failure to get a ceasefire in Alaska, after he said there would be severe consequences if that were not achieved. Trump responded, “I don’t think you need a ceasefire. If you look at the six deals I settled this year, they were all at war. I didn’t do any ceasefires.”
One significant point of contention in this war is the Donbass in eastern Ukraine. Kremlin forces have been unable to capture that region in 12 years of conflict. But Ukraine considers the area a bulwark that keeps Russian forces contained in the east. Kyiv not having that naturally fortified ground would open all of the country to a future Russian invasion.
Europe’s Large Stake in the Success of Future Meetings
Europe has a big stake in the endgame since, when the war ends, it will be up to European and NATO nations to implement measures to keep the peace. However, the White House meeting with significant players speaking with one voice has put Putin on notice that he is dealing with a formidable, unified military and economic force. Ukraine has been insisting on security guarantees, and Fox News reported that “Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff told CNN that Putin agreed to allow the U.S. to provide Ukraine ‘robust security guarantees.’”
Many believe that security guarantees mean that European and US forces will be deployed to Ukraine. However, during the White House’s negotiations with Zelensky over rare earth minerals in February, Trump expressed that, once the fighting stopped, having US companies and their employees working in Ukraine would deter Russia from endangering Americans.
Trump Appears Satisfied With Progress
This gathering was a diplomatic success that highlighted the unity of purpose shared by Zelensky and the Europeans. Trump also revealed that, during the meeting, he “called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelensky.”
Let the naysayers beware. During the White House group meeting, Finland’s President Alexander Stubb observed that more progress toward peace had been achieved in the last two weeks than in the previous four years. All things considered, Trump has orchestrated a very successful push to end the conflict.
Dave Patterson
National Security Correspondent at LibertyNation.Com and Generation Liberty, Dave is a retired U.S. Air Force Pilot with over 180 combat missions in Vietnam. He is the former Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, Comptroller and has served in executive positions in the private sector aerospace and defense industry. Dave’s articles have appeared in The Federalist and DefenseOne.com.
