Trump Calls Putin to Propose Zelensky Meeting After White House Talks; Macron Floats Switzerland as Venue

Washington/Paris — Aug. 19, 2025. President Donald Trump said he phoned Vladimir Putin from the White House to start arranging a face-to-face meeting between the Russian leader and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, following talks with Zelensky and a group of European leaders on potential security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump added that a follow-on “trilat” including himself could come after the two leaders meet.

The White House discussions centered on a blueprint in which Europe would take the lead in providing coordinated, long-term “NATO-style” protections for Ukraine—with U.S. backing—while steering clear of immediate NATO membership for Kyiv. Zelensky called Trump’s stance “a strong signal,” and European leaders stressed the need to lock in credible guarantees as a prerequisite for any sustainable peace.

Momentum for direct talks accelerated over the weekend when Trump ally and envoy Steve Witkoff said Putin had agreed in principle to allow the U.S. and Europe to extend collective-defense-type protections to Ukraine as part of an eventual settlement. Moscow has not publicly confirmed that concession, and analysts warned the details—and Russia’s intent—remain opaque.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who joined the Washington meetings, said any Zelensky-Putin summit should be held in a neutral European country—“maybe Switzerland”—with Geneva emerging as a leading option. He explicitly ruled out Paris, recalling the optics of 2019 talks in the French capital.

Who was at the table—and what they want

Alongside Trump and Zelensky were key European leaders who endorsed exploring a ceasefire path coupled with robust guarantees. Reporting from multiple outlets said the group is weighing European-funded arms packages and a peacekeeping architecture post-deal, while Trump publicly framed the U.S. role as coordinating and helping Europe shoulder the security burden.

Despite Trump’s upbeat tone, skepticism persists. Russia’s foreign policy messaging has pushed back on any NATO troop presence in Ukraine, and critics argue Kyiv should not be pressed into talks absent verifiable de-escalation. For now, timelines remain fluid: some European officials suggested a potential Zelensky-Putin encounter within weeks, contingent on progress toward a ceasefire framework and agreement on the guarantees package.

What’s next

• Venue: Switzerland is being discussed, with Geneva most often cited by French officials as suitably neutral.
• Format: A first Zelensky-Putin meeting could be followed by a three-way session with Trump, per the U.S. president.
• Guarantees: Europe would lead “Article-5-type” protections coordinated with Washington; specifics—scope, triggers, whether they include peacekeepers—are still being drafted.

Bottom line: After months of stalemate, Washington’s push for a Zelensky-Putin meeting—paired with European-led security guarantees—has moved from hypotheticals to active planning. But without public confirmation from Moscow on the scope of those guarantees and absent a ceasefire, the road from phone calls to durable peace remains uncertain.