The Washington meeting, hosted by US President Trump to address the Ukraine crisis with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and other European leaders, ended with positive gestures but little substance. According to the outcomes, President Zelenskyy asked for security guarantees in exchange for ceding the land Ukraine currently holds to Russia. In response, Trump hinted at offering such guarantees, vaguely describing them as “security guarantees for Ukraine, to be provided by various European countries in coordination with the United States.”

During the meeting, Trump held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin to brief him on the ongoing developments. Trump urged Putin to begin arranging bilateral talks with Zelenskyy, followed by a trilateral meeting that would include the US. Moscow has long insisted on direct talks with Zelenskyy to have a better and impactful conversation.

European leaders, particularly from Germany, emphasized the need for a ceasefire, but Trump downplayed this before negotiations.

The US committed to purchasing Ukrainian drones, while Zelenskyy announced a buying $900 billion arms deal, which included aviation and anti-missile systems with the US. In effect, while Ukraine will spend heavily on US defense equipment, the deal is partly offset by Washington’s purchase of Ukrainian drones.

In this meeting, another notable difference was Zelenskyy’s behavior comparing to his more combative tone in February 2025, he appeared calmer this time, wearing a dark coat instead of military attire. He also handed Trump a letter from Ukraine’s First Lady to the US First Lady, echoing “spouse diplomacy.” Earlier, Putin had received a letter from Melania Trump about the plight of children suffering in the war.

In conclusion, Europeans pushed for a ceasefire, Zelenskyy pressed for security guarantees, and the US sought to position itself as the chief broker—consistent with Trump’s campaign promise.