Russia has renewed its missile attacks against Ukraine, just days ahead of a high-stakes meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump at the White House.
Zelensky has condemned the attacks as “a demonstrative and cynical Russian strike,” urging for “reliable security guarantees” to protect Ukraine. The European leaders attending the meeting, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, will stress that any deal cannot come at the expense of European security.
Despite winning Russia’s agreement to robust security guarantees in a summit in Alaska, analysts warn that such guarantees may be worthless if Moscow insists on a veto over defense decisions. Ukraine is unlikely to agree to relinquish its contested territory, particularly the heavily fortified Donbas region, which could leave it vulnerable to future attack.
The Russian president has vowed not to make further territorial claims and has promised to respect Ukraine’s internationally recognized border. However, Russia’s former foreign minister Andrei Kozyrev notes that the country has a history of violating this commitment. The meeting between Trump, Zelensky, and Putin may be the last chance for Ukraine to secure reliable security guarantees before the situation escalates further.
The White House summit comes amid reports of ongoing Russian strikes on civilian targets in recent months, including children’s playgrounds, maternity hospitals, houses, apartments, and civilian transports. The attacks have killed four children, adding to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Ukraine’s European allies are pushing for robust security guarantees that would be legally binding and tied to protecting Ukrainian territory. The meeting is expected to focus on whether these guarantees can be achieved without compromising European security.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/08/18/ukraine-russia-zelensky-trump-meeting