On August 18 (US time), US President Donald Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Washington would help ensure security for Kiev in any agreement to end the conflict with Russia.
The pledge was made at a special conference at the White House, attended by many European leaders, just days after Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
Mr. Trump told the press that there will be "a lot of support" related to security, while emphasizing that European countries are the first line of defense but the US will also support.
Mr Zelensky called the promise a big step forward, asserting that the guarantees would be officialised in writing within the next 10 days, adding that Ukraine had offered to buy about $90 billion in US weapons.
The meeting took place in a much warmer atmosphere than the failed meeting in February, when Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly criticized Zelensky. This time, the Ukrainian leader showed his authority, repeatedly sent his thanks, and received public support from European leaders.
However, a peace deal is still far away. Before the talks, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it rejected the possibility of NATO deploying troops to support peacekeeping. Both Trump and Zelensky have expressed their desire to negotiate a three-way deal with Putin. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said a meeting between Putin and Zelensky could take place in Hungary in the next two weeks, paving the way for a tripartite summit.
Meanwhile, European leaders have urged Trump to ask Russia to agree to a ceasefire before negotiations go further. French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that final peace negotiations must have the participation of Europe because they are related to continental security.
Mr Trump remains open to reaching a deal without an immediate ceasefire, saying this strategy could be at a disadvantage for one side. The Kremlin has not publicly confirmed the plan, but adviser Yuri Ushakov said Moscow and Washington have discussed upgrading their representative level in upcoming dialogue rounds.
