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During a meeting with US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy was able to discuss a number of key issues to bring sustainable peace to Ukraine. He reported this today, August 19, during a briefing following the talks in Washington.
“This was our best meeting, and it’s important. We discussed many things, a long conversation, in detail. The key issue is security guarantees. It is important that the United States is sending a clear signal that it will be among the countries coordinating and directly participating in providing security guarantees for Ukraine. I believe this is a big step forward. I cannot share the details, but what matters is that there is already political will and a political decision,” the president said.
Zelenskyy gave his American colleagues a detailed account of the situation at the front.
“I was able to show a lot on the map. Not based on rumors, but in reality — who controls what on the battlefield,” he clarified.
In addition, the parties discussed the issue of returning Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
“Both U.S. First Lady Melania Trump and President Trump’s team understand how painful this issue is. And we will work on bringing our children back. Different cases, different approaches,” Zelensky continued.
The American leader also assured the President of Ukraine that he would help implement a prisoner exchange in the “all for all” format.
“This concerns both our prisoners of war and civilians — journalists, political prisoners. We agreed to work on this,” he said.
Donald Trump supported the option of a trilateral meeting at the level of the leaders of Ukraine, the United States, and Russia.
“The United States proposes to hold it as soon as possible. But for this, the consent of all parties is required,” Zelenskyy noted.
Security guarantees are a key issue as a start to ending the war, Zelenskyy added.
The president also said that the United States will be a participant in security guarantees for Ukraine.
Russia first proposed a bilateral Ukraine-Russia meeting, and then a trilateral one. I am ready to meet with Putin, — Zelenskyy
Other statements by the Ukrainian president during a briefing following a meeting with the US president in Washington:
- No unacceptable decisions were made.
- We are confident that the war will end. It is important for us that this is not a pause in the fighting, but a real peace that can be protected by security guarantees.
- The issue of territories is a question that we will leave between me and Putin.
- Trump agrees that he will participate in the preparation of an exchange of everyone for everyone — not only military personnel, but also journalists and political prisoners.
- The US proposes to hold a trilateral meeting with Putin as soon as possible.
- We do not know any details about the bilateral meeting. All parties must show their desire before the end of the war, if this does not happen, Ukraine will ask the US to act accordingly.
- Ukraine continues to insist on a meeting without any preconditions.
- We are ready for a meeting in any format. If we put forward any conditions regarding the meeting, the Russians will have a hundred conditions on their part.
- For the first time, I had the opportunity to discuss the realities on the battlefield with Trump. In particular, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Russians have been able to capture up to 1% of Ukrainian territory.
- Zelenskyy confirmed the FT information about the arms agreement with the US: the American weapons package includes aircraft, air defense systems, etc. There is a package with our proposals for $90 billion.
- US to join issue of return of Ukrainian children from Russia.
- US agreed to buy Ukrainian drones
Read also: FT: Ukraine offers U.S. $100B arms deal and $50B drone project in exchange for security guarantees
