Karoline Leavitt reveals key progress in Ukraine-Russia peace talks

In an important step towards ending years of war, Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made the announcement at a press conference Tuesday. She clarified that “if necessary”, there may be a trilateral meeting after Putin and Zelenskyy meeting.

“President Trump spoke to President Putin by phone and he agreed to start the next stage of the peace process, with President Putin and President ZelenskyyIf necessary, a trilateral meeting between President Putin, President Zelensky and President Trump will follow. Levitt said Tuesday.

Levitt said Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff Vice President JD Vance will “continue to coordinate with Russia and Ukraine to achieve this as soon as possible.”

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The news comes a day after Zelenskyy and several European leaders gathered at the White House to report, following a high-stakes summit between Trump and Putin in Alaska. Leavitt stressed European leaders’ praise Trump follows Alaska and DC summits.

“I think over the past two weeks we have probably made more progress in ending this war than we have made in the past three and a half years,” Finnish President Alexander Stubb said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded to this view and admitted that “no one can bring it up” for three and a half years.

President Donald Trump and European leaders held a multilateral meeting at the White House on August 18, 2025. (Reuters/Alexander Drago)

Trump calls White House talks “very good, early steps” toward Russia-Ukraine Peace: What’s Next

In addition, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte thanked Trump and praised the president for breaking the “stalemate” Put Putin on the table.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also praised Trump’s peace efforts.

Although European leaders focused on Trump’s ability to end the war, Putin’s cruel conflict began.

President Donald Trump greeted Russian President Vladimir Putin when he arrived at the joint base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska on August 15, 2025. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

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In a joint press conference Friday after the meeting, Putin confirmed something that Trump has insisted for nearly four years – if Trump did not lose the 2020 election, Russia would not invade Ukraine.

“I can confirm that,” Putin said at the end of the press.

This statement left many people, including Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich, who wanted to know what Trump planned to do in Ukraine’s security plan beyond 2028. Heinrich raised the question to Leavitt, who said Trump “understands the need for long-term security assurance,” citing his conversations with European leaders and NATO and negotiated after the Alaska summit.