‘It’s Possible He Doesn’t Want to Make a Deal’: Russia Continues to Bombard Ukraine Despite White House Summit

Latest Developments

Drones and Missiles Continue to Strike Ukraine: Hours after President Donald Trump met with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on August 18 to discuss peace in the Russia-Ukraine war, Russia launched a massive drone and missile barrage into Ukrainian territory. Dozens of explosions were heard in the city of Kremenchuk in central Ukraine as a reported 270 Russian drones and missiles targeted the city’s energy and transport infrastructure. Although there were no immediate reports of casualties, the bombardment followed another attack a day earlier that killed 14 Ukrainians and injured dozens more. Trump was previously angered by Russian strikes coming on the heels of his conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, remarked that it was evidence that Putin “doesn’t want to cease fire.”
Arrangements Started for Putin-Zelenskyy Meeting: Trump wrote on Truth Social that he had called Putin after the meetings with European leaders and “began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy,” adding that “after that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself.” Moscow, however, has remained publicly non-committal regarding the potential Zelenskyy-Putin meeting, with Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov stating that though “Putin and Trump discussed the idea of raising the level of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations … we’re not there yet.” During an interview on Fox News, Trump said, “We’re going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks … It’s possible that he doesn’t want to make a deal.” He also ruled out having U.S. troops on the ground as part of a potential security guarantee for Ukraine should a peace deal be reached. Earlier, Zelenskyy said Ukraine wants to purchase $100 billion worth of American weapons, financed by European countries, to help ensure Ukraine’s post-war security, and he offered to sell the United States Ukrainian drones.
Ukrainians Relieved After White House Meeting: Ukrainians expressed relief over the outcome of the White House meetings. Oleksandr Merezhko, chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the Ukrainian Parliament, said he had been concerned that Trump might have posed an “unacceptable ultimatum” to Zelenskyy following the U.S. president’s meeting with Putin in Alaska last week, but that his worries did not “materialize.” One Kyiv resident told CNN that Ukrainians “really want peace,” but expressed reservations about the potential for Ukraine to cede parts of the mineral-rich Donbas region to Russia. “I believe that giving up our territories is simply a crime against future generations,” said the resident, while another expressed a lack of trust in Trump and that Putin will keep his promises. A recent Gallup Poll indicated that 69 percent of Ukrainians favor a negotiated end to the war as soon as possible, but Ukrainians remain overwhelmingly opposed to capitulation to Russian demands.

FDD Expert Response

“Monday’s series of talks were helpful in that they solidified the concept of security guarantees and the need for continued military support (through arms sales) to Ukraine. The United States remains an indispensable partner in the security of Ukraine — both as the arsenal of democracy that provides arms for Ukraine, and as the country that can support a European reassurance force in Ukraine with intelligence, targeting, and logistics, if not boots on the ground.” — RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Fellow and Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology

“Yesterday’s meetings at the White House sent an important message of transatlantic unity in support of Ukraine. Washington must now work with its allies and Kyiv to flesh out credible plans to ensure Ukraine’s post-war security. Yet so long as Putin conditions an end to the war on non-starter demands, peace will remain elusive. President Trump, therefore, must also pressure Putin to negotiate seriously with Zelenskyy and to accept terms the Ukrainians can live with. Trump should make clear that if Putin refuses to do so in a timely manner, the United States will impose additional economic penalties and supply Ukraine with longer-range missiles that can strike deeper in Russia.” — John Hardie, Russia Program Deputy Director

“Putin is not interested in a long-term peace solution, and every time Washington gives him a chance, he reciprocates by attacking civilians in Ukraine. This tells us all we need to know about Putin’s ultimate goals, which include the subjugation of Ukraine. The West should not be delusional about Putin’s overtures, because actions speak louder than words.” — Ivana Stradner, Research Fellow