Kathmandu, Aug 19: US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held high-level bilateral talks at the White House on Monday, a meeting viewed as a significant moment in the ongoing search for peace in Eastern Europe.

Prior to the closed-door discussions, President Trump addressed reporters at the White House and emphasized his belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin is also seeking an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump stressed that tangible progress is being made toward resolving the crisis and added that Washington would ensure the security guarantees requested by Kyiv. According to him, once the talks with Zelensky conclude, he intends to hold a direct phone call with Putin. If discussions proceed as expected, Trump announced the possibility of a landmark tripartite meeting involving the United States, Russia, and Ukraine.

Standing alongside Trump, Ukrainian President Zelensky expressed his readiness to pursue a diplomatic resolution and voiced support for the tripartite dialogue. He reiterated Ukraine’s position that negotiations must secure lasting peace and credible guarantees to safeguard his nation’s sovereignty.

The bilateral talks were further underscored by a broader international presence. On Monday morning, several prominent European leaders arrived at the White House to demonstrate their support for the peace process. Those in attendance included NATO Secretary-General Marc Root, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Chancellor Frenztürstberg, and German President Emmanuel Macron.

Later in the afternoon, these leaders joined Trump and Zelensky for a multilateral meeting. The session focused on aligning transatlantic partners toward a coordinated diplomatic effort, exploring pathways to cease hostilities, and strengthening security arrangements that could bring an end to the long-running conflict.

With Washington, Kyiv, Moscow, and major European capitals signaling willingness for dialogue, observers believe that the White House talks may mark the beginning of a new chapter in attempts to secure peace in the region. However, analysts also caution that significant challenges remain before any durable settlement can be reached.