The Financial News Agency reported on August 17th (Editor Shi Zhengcheng) that following the conclusion of the Alaska talks between the heads of the United States, Russia, Ukraine, and European countries have spoken out publicly, further highlighting the complexity of the Ukraine issue.
According to reports from various media outlets including news networks, Global Times, and The Paper, Trump and Zelensky both confirmed on Saturday that they will meet again on Monday. This also means that the high level of uncertainty faced by financial markets will continue until next week.
It was reported that Trump held a telephone conference with Zelensky, as well as NATO and European leaders while on his way back from Alaska. After the call, he posted on social media that President Zelensky will visit Washington D.C. on Monday afternoon (local time), heading to the Oval Office. If everything goes well, a meeting with President Putin will be arranged later.
As a key statement to promote a cessation of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, Trump stated: “The best way to end this terrible war between Russia and Ukraine is to reach a direct peace agreement to end the war, rather than simply signing a ceasefire agreement that is usually difficult to maintain.”
It is noteworthy that during a media interview after the talks, Trump publicly advised Zelensky, “You need to reach a deal.” Russia is a very powerful country, but Ukraine is not.
Considering that Ukraine and Europe have been emphasizing a “ceasefire first, then discuss a peace agreement,” how to resolve this key contradiction will be the main focus of their meeting on Monday.
Zelensky’s visit to the United States, which will take place in the Oval Office for the first time since he was publicly scolded by Trump and Vance for being “rude” at the end of his last visit, is significant.
Zelensky subsequently posted a message confirming that he will meet with Trump on Monday to discuss all details. He also called for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia, emphasizing that “European parties should be involved at every stage to ensure reliable security guarantees together with the United States.”
On Saturday, it was also reported that European leaders were invited to participate in the meeting on Monday, and further details are pending confirmation. The French presidency issued a statement on Saturday stating that countries that support Ukraine will hold a video conference on Sunday, with French President Macron, German Chancellor Merkel, and British Prime Minister Starmer co-chairing the meeting.
Regarding the outcome of the talks between U.S. and Russian leaders, there are also aspects that Europe hopes to emphasize. German Chancellor Merkel stated on Saturday that the United States is ready to provide security guarantees to Ukraine, rather than leaving it entirely up to Europe.
In a joint statement released on Saturday by several European countries, as well as the European Council and the leaders of the European Commission, the need for Ukraine to receive “ironclad security guarantees” was emphasized. The statement also welcomed Trump’s indication that the United States was prepared to provide security guarantees. According to Italian Prime Minister Meloni, during his dialogue with European leaders, Trump highlighted a security guarantee proposal made by Italy that was reportedly inspired by NATO’s Article 5 (Collective Defense Treaty). It is understood that this security guarantee is based on the premise of reaching a peace agreement, followed by the provision of security guarantees by the United States and Europe similar to Article 5, but without involving NATO.
Meanwhile, Russian President Putin held a meeting at the Kremlin on Saturday to report on the outcomes of the Alaska summit. Putin stated that Russia respects the stance of the United States and also desires a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis. He expressed that his visit to Alaska was timely and very beneficial, as the summit discussed all aspects of Russian-American cooperation, with the primary topic being the mediation of the Ukraine issue. During his visit to Alaska, Putin discussed with US President Trump the issue of resolving the Ukraine crisis on a fair basis, as well as the origins of the crisis.