Moscow ignores Trump calls for Zelensky-Putin summit and hits out at security talks - Moscow demands to be directly engaged on questions of security concerning Ukraine and Europe

Russia is sending signals that it intends to slow-walk a peace deal on Ukraine, showing some daylight between the Kremlin and President Trump’s intentions to end the war. From a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to suggestions of security agreements for Kyiv,

The Kremlin has played down talk of an imminent summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, as Donald Trump renewed his call for the two leaders to meet to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a Russian drone strike on Okhtyrka in the Sumy region wounded 14 people, including a family with three young children, overnight into Wednesday, August 20.

Trump: “President Zelensky can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight."

During an Oval Office meeting on August 18, 2025, Donald Trump displayed a Ukraine war map highlighting territories under Russian control — a move Russia’s Foreign Ministry called a “strong slap” for President Zelensky.

The European political heavy-hitters were left out of Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin last Friday.

Time is ticking on President Donald Trump's two-week timeline for a face-to-face meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

While Trump has repeatedly ruled out Ukraine joining Nato, his envoy Steve Witkoff said that Putin had agreed to allow “Nato-style” protection for Ukraine after their meeting on Friday. Moscow has not commented on this.