Trump Engages Putin Directly on Heels of Ukraine Summit

On the heels of a major summit with Ukrainian and European leaders, President Donald Trump engaged directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call to discuss the ongoing crisis and its potential resolution.
The call was a key follow-up to the August 18 White House meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The focus of those talks was the critical issue of establishing long-term security guarantees for Ukraine.
In his public statements, Trump has consistently pushed for a European-led approach to this challenge. He has pledged U.S. support, but has specifically characterized it as a “backup” role.
Trump also divulged that his diplomatic track with Russia has a long-term component. He recounted an August 15 meeting in Alaska where he and Putin discussed the idea of reducing nuclear arsenals after the Ukraine conflict ends.