The West is united again: why the meeting in Washington was a bad day for Putin

The meeting in Washington between the Ukrainian president, the US leader and key European politicians was an important signal for the Kremlin. Despite concerns about possible concessions, the West demonstrated unity, supported Kyiv and outlined new approaches to security guarantees for Ukraine.

This is reported by Politico .

The talks, which took place on August 18 in the US capital, were a test of the resilience of the Euro-Atlantic community. European leaders — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz — arrived in Washington with concerns that Donald Trump might make concessions to Moscow and persuade Zelensky to make an unprofitable deal with Russia. However, their fears were not realized.

The media noted that Zelensky demonstrated a new diplomatic style: he appeared at the meeting for the first time in a suit and handed a letter from his wife, Melania Trump. It expressed gratitude for the fact that the US first lady raised the issue of more than 20,000 Ukrainian children abducted by Russia with Putin. This created a more trusting atmosphere and set the tone for the negotiations.

Journalists expected sharp disagreements between Zelensky and Trump, in particular over Ukraine’s membership in NATO. However, both politicians avoided confrontation, and Trump himself unexpectedly appeared to be a defender of the Ukrainian president. He emphasized that the issue of security guarantees should be resolved together with Europe, which will be the “first line of defense,” but the United States will remain a reliable partner.

European countries, in turn, welcomed Trump’s public pledge to support Ukraine in a future security agreement, which some called a “breakthrough.” Although the details remain vague, it includes intelligence coordination and large-scale arms contracts.

The article emphasizes that Trump’s current position has become much more specific compared to his previous statements, when he suggested that Putin could adhere to the agreements. European leaders remain cautious, but note that Washington has returned to the circle of allies, and the Kremlin has received a clear signal of Western unity.

“It was a bad day for Putin because the West has come together again,” a British official said in a comment to the publication.

As a reminder, multilateral talks involving US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and leaders of key European countries have concluded in Washington. The central topic of the discussions was the prospect of ending the war in Ukraine and launching a new peace process initiated by Washington.

Meanwhile, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin continues to avoid any real guarantees that would prevent a new invasion of Ukraine. Instead, Moscow consistently seeks to destroy Western unity , oust Kyiv from the international support system, and divide the United States and Europe.

Recall that a group of over 30 states, including Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, and France, is actively working on creating a concept of international security guarantees for Ukraine.

As reported, after the end of the war with Russia, Ukraine has the full right to form its own security system, including new international agreements with Western countries and beyond.

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