Trump Announces Plan for Direct Russia‑Ukraine Talks and U.S.-Led Three‑Way Summit

Washington – In a surprise turn that has rattled diplomatic circles in Kyiv, Brussels and Moscow, former President Donald Trump announced on August 18 that he would begin arranging a direct meeting between Russian and Ukrainian leaders, followed by a three‑way summit that would include the United States. Speaking after a series of private talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European heads of state, Trump said the two combatants could “talk while they’re still fighting” and that a cease‑fire was not a prerequisite for peace negotiations.