Washington Meeting, "Free Media" Live Stream: Trump Meets Zelenskyy and European Leaders, Their Visit May Be to Support or "Betray" Him
On the evening of August 18, 2025, the U.S. capital may decide the fate of Ukraine and Europe.
Image: U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy (left to right) at the meeting ceremony
At the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy, who had already completed his term. Immediately after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Trump decided to hold this meeting, and Zelenskyy was urgently summoned to Washington.
Leaders from several major European countries also went to Washington, and experts are speculating about their roles — either trying to persuade the U.S. President not to trouble Zelenskyy and blame everything on Putin; or standing with Trump and making Zelenskyy the scapegoat. However, there is much uncertainty.
00:15 "Free Media" will pause the live stream and wait for new news from the White House. Please follow our news coverage.
00:14 Ukrainian President's Press Secretary Sergei Nikiforov said that the talks would continue in another form. But he did not specify what form it would be.
00:03 It has been reported that the talks with European leaders seem to have ended.
23:58 BBC journalists are discussing the format of this meeting, considering it almost unbelievable. They feel that someone is informing Putin about all the proposals made during the meeting and consulting him over the phone.
23:37 The Russian Foreign Ministry website published a response to a question raised by a journalist before Trump's closed-door meeting with Zelenskyy, regarding the possibility of deploying foreign troops within Ukraine. The response reads: "We once again reiterate our firm opposition to any plans involving the presence of NATO countries' troops in Ukraine, which could lead to an uncontrolled escalation of the conflict and unpredictable consequences."
23:27 The "Zerka" Telegram channel predicts: There is a 95% chance that the overall plan will be like this. No one will argue with Trump today. But tomorrow, Zelenskyy will continue to talk about not giving up territory, Ukrainian militarization, and the EU army, etc. The purpose is to make Putin see this "resolve" of Kyiv and give up the tripartite talks. The remaining 5% possibility is that Zelenskyy completely compromises today. He will accept everything, and those contradictory statements — at best, they are media groundwork for a peace that is not a victory. But if that happens, around the next day, officials will start saying that Trump helped Putin by proposing good conditions that should be accepted. However, it is hard to believe that this situation will happen.
22:40 According to BBC, the U.S. Presidential Press Office seems to have promised that there will be a statement for the media after the closed-door meeting, although as mentioned earlier, this was not included in today's schedule. Additionally, it has been reported that Zelenskyy will be interviewed by Fox News after the meeting.
However, whether Trump, Zelenskyy, and others will engage in public exchanges with the media depends on how successful the current meetings seem to be in Trump's eyes.
23:00 Sky News reports that Trump is about to call Putin before the end of the closed-door meeting — obviously, the situation is complicated...
22:19 After ending the public meeting with European leaders, Trump stated that specific steps for a peaceful resolution of the conflict are expected to be reached within one or two weeks. Then, he will hold a closed-door meeting with European leaders, including Zelenskyy — it is during this meeting that they will discuss certain specific steps. After that, there will be a closed-door exchange.
22:16 Alexander Stubb said: "Everyone is asking, what is the Finnish president doing here? I want to say that we have the longest border with Russia, and we have maintained very good relations with Russia. In 1944, we were able to reach an agreement, and I believe we can do so now."
22:13 While Starmer proposed a "historic step" in the issues of security in Ukraine and Europe, Vance and Rubio, sitting slightly away from the main table, seemed indifferent to what was happening before them.
22:11 Georgia Meloni supported the proposal for a ceasefire — this is what the European leaders insisted on.
Image: U.S. President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni attending the meeting with European leaders in the East Room of the White House
22:08 Ursula von der Leyen: "As a mother and grandmother, I hope the children can return to Ukraine. I hope a ceasefire can be announced as soon as possible." To this, Trump pointed out that they are not discussing a ceasefire, but a peace agreement.
22:04 Trump proposed that Zelenskyy speak. Zelenskyy then talked about the exchange of prisoners and the return of children. These words sound familiar.
22:01 Trump greeted the European leaders ("Why are you so tanned?"), let's look at the seating arrangement. Trump was next to Macron and Meloni, and on both ends were Starmer and Mertz. Opposite Zelenskyy, to the left was Rutte, and to the right were Stubb and von der Leyen.
Image: U.S. President Donald Trump (center) holding a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (left), French President Emmanuel Macron (second left), and German Chancellor Friedrich Mertz (right) in the East Room of the White House
21:58 After the group photo, all the guests at the White House were seated in the hall. Trump said in his opening speech that he looked forward to a tripartite meeting, and added, "This has never happened since World War II."
21:53 Trump and Zelenskyy stepped out of the Oval Office and joined the European leaders for a ceremonial photo.
21:45 Journalists were waiting for a joint statement from Trump and Zelenskyy, but it was uncertain whether there would be one. Regardless, this activity was not included in the White House's schedule for the day.
21:40 The live stream from the White House showed an empty hall, where the collective photo of all the guests of President Trump that day would take place.
21:14 According to the Russian Business Daily, citing BBC, a large map of Ukraine was placed in the Oval Office before the closed-door meeting began. It is likely to make everyone present clear that the meeting would involve territorial issues.
The President's assistant Scavino posted a photo showing U.S. President Trump and Zelenskyy standing in front of a map indicating the territories that Ukraine has lost.
20:50 During the press session, one of Trump's statements was noteworthy — "I am ready to help both sides reach a peace agreement, but if I can't, I will stop aid to Ukraine."
20:50 The public meeting part ended, and the reporters gathered were asked to leave the Oval Office.
20:48 The pre-meeting exchange between Trump and Zelenskyy gradually turned into a press conference by Trump, with Zelenskyy only inserting a few short and vague comments. They also talked about the issue of mail-in voting, and Trump promised to end this practice.
20:45 Trump: "The war will definitely end. But when it will end — I don't know. I thought this would be the easiest thing to solve, but it isn't."
20:41 When asked if he was prepared to continue fighting, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine needs support. But he also hoped to resolve the conflict through diplomatic means.
20:40 Before the meeting, Trump told the press that a tripartite meeting was expected. He also said, "This is not my war, it's Biden's war."
20:20 The meeting basically started on time.
20:19 Before the meeting, Trump said that his meeting with Putin had made significant progress, and he looked forward to achieving similar results in today's meeting.
20:16 Trump shook hands with Zelenskyy, and both ignored the media's questions.
Image: On Monday, August 18, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington. 24 photos record the scene of Trump and Zelenskyy next to the map of Ukraine, their jokes and laughter, and the moment of calling Putin: the entire process of the Washington meeting
20:14 Zelenskyy arrived at the White House, dressed in a black suit and shirt without a tie.
20:00 The Ukrainian delegation led by President Zelenskyy included: Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian President's Office, his deputy Pavlo Klimkin, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustam Umerov, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States Oksana Markarova, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Serhiy Kyslytsya.
On the U.S. side, besides Trump himself, there were Vice President Jay Deen, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and U.S. Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff.
19:50 Among the European country leaders, Keir Starmer (UK), Emmanuel Macron (France), Friedrich Mertz (Germany), Georgia Meloni (Italy), Alexander Stubb (Finland), European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had arrived in Washington.
Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7540100736869253684/
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