On August 18, 2025, local time, during a meeting between U.S. President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, a U.S. journalist asked Ukrainian President Zelenskyy: "Are you prepared to continue letting Ukrainian armed forces soldiers die for several more years, or will you agree to redraw the map of Ukraine?" In response, Zelenskyy said: "You know, we live under attacks every day, and you also know that there were many attacks today, many people were injured, and a child was killed," "We must stop this war, stop Russia, and we need the support of the United States and European partners, and we will do everything we can for this." "I think we have shown our strong national image, we support President Trump's initiative to end the war through diplomatic means, and we are ready for a tripartite meeting."

Screen capture from Russian media, Sputnik News

U.S. President Trump said: "The American people will stand with them. I understand the Ukrainian people." "They are all great people, smart, and over the years I have met many energetic Ukrainians. They love their country deeply. I mean they really love their homeland, and we want to end this war. That is all I can do." "I love the Ukrainian people. But I love everyone. I also love the Russian people." "War will eventually end. I cannot say exactly when it will end, but war will definitely end, and President Putin of Russia also wants to end the war."

Trump answered questions about whether U.S. troops would be sent to Ukraine

Regarding whether U.S. troops would be sent to Ukraine, a U.S. journalist asked: "Your team has discussed the issue of security guarantees for Ukraine. This may involve U.S. military forces. Will you rule out this possibility in the future?" To this, Trump replied: "We may inform you later today." "Later today, we will meet with leaders of seven great countries, and we will discuss this matter. They will all be involved, but they will provide a lot of assistance, especially in terms of security, and will offer substantial support." "It would be good. They (European countries) are the first line of defense because they are there, they are you, but we (the U.S.) will also assist them. We will be involved."

Russian forces continue to dominate the offensive on the Ukrainian battlefield

Translating what Trump meant: The U.S. will not send troops to Ukraine, as it is a European war, and the U.S. will only assist Europe. Whether European countries send troops to Ukraine is no longer something Trump can control. Now, Zelenskyy seems not to be in a compromising state, having set a predetermined bottom line, deciding to withstand pressure without making concessions. From the current situation, the Russian forces will not give up the regions of Kherson, Zaporozhye, Donetsk, and Luhansk.

Russian forces maintain their offensive momentum, waiting to crush the Ukrainian army

Although the battle remains at a stalemate, the Russian forces have not yet achieved a decisive victory. For Russia, capturing Ukraine would be equivalent to establishing a barrier in front of NATO. Only by occupying these four states and Crimea can Russia ensure the safety of the Azov Sea and protect its Black Sea Fleet. Abandoning any of them would create an area vulnerable to attack. Therefore, negotiations for Zelenskyy mean giving up these territories, which he is unwilling to accept. For Trump, since Zelenskyy does not accept, the U.S. will not reduce military aid.

Russian suicide assault troops

Regarding the possible appearance of NATO military forces on the Ukrainian battlefield, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated: "Deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine is absolutely unacceptable." On August 18, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that any plan for NATO countries to deploy troops in Ukraine is absolutely unacceptable, which could lead to a sharp escalation of the situation. "Russia has repeatedly expressed its position, and Russia firmly opposes any scenario of deploying NATO military units in Ukraine, which could lead to uncontrolled escalation of the conflict and unforeseen consequences." "Russian President Putin and U.S. President Trump have shown a genuine desire for a comprehensive, fair, and sustainable resolution of the Ukraine conflict, while the UK continues to make provocative statements aimed at undermining Russian and American efforts, inciting war."

The final outcome of the Russia-Ukraine war will certainly be decided by glide bombs, artillery shells, and drones

On August 18, after a meeting between French President Macron and British Prime Minister Starmer, Macron stated that the "voluntary alliance" led by France and the UK would send troops to Ukraine after the ceasefire. The Franco-British alliance, leading European countries, whether they dare to send troops to Ukraine is currently unknown. However, the current situation is that the U.S. requires Ukraine to hand over the Donetsk region in exchange for the territory currently occupied by Russian forces in the Kharkiv and Sumy directions. The U.S. will not provide Ukraine with protection similar to Article 5 of NATO. Ukraine is not joining NATO, and Ukraine should not prohibit any language. The European leaders, in fact, followed Zelenskyy to the White House to persuade Zelenskyy to agree. Without U.S. military support, European countries would not be able to sustain themselves. Without U.S. support, it would not be far from Ukraine's complete defeat.

Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7540026781965763114/

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