What did Putin and Trump talk about?published at 23:23 British Summer Time 18 August

23:23 BST 18 August

Liza Fokht
BBC News Russian

The Kremlin confirms that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke by phone during the visit of Zelensky and European leaders to the White House.

The conversation lasted 40 minutes and was "frank" and "fairly constructive", said Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov.

The most important point in the Kremlin’s statement is that according to Ushakov, Putin and Trump discussed "the idea of exploring the possibility of raising the level of representatives of Moscow and Kyiv at the talks".

This is a much more cautious statement than the fresh remarks by President Trump, who just announced that he had begun discussing with Putin preparations for his bilateral Russia-Ukraine presidential meeting, and then for a possible trilateral summit.

This year, Russia and Ukraine have held three rounds of negotiations in Istanbul. They managed to resolve only certain humanitarian issues, such as prisoner exchanges, but did not bring the end of the war any closer.

The Russian delegation was led by Vladimir Medinsky, a conservative-minded aide to the Russian president. The Ukrainian delegation was headed by former defence minister Rustem Umerov.

We do not know exactly what the Kremlin means by "raising the level of representatives" — but it is possible that in this way Putin is dragging his feet on an immediate meeting with Trump and Zelensky, and is prepared to continue talks with Ukraine only at the level of less high-ranking officials.

It is possible that the Kremlin will decide whether Putin himself should attend future talks, or delegate someone of a lower rank, precisely based on the outcome of today’s negotiations in Washington.

We've just heard from Donald Trump via social media, who confirms he spoke to Vladimir Putin during today's talks at the White House.

"At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy," he writes.

"After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself."

Trump also says security guarantees for Ukraine were discussed during today's talks, which he says "would be provided by the various European Countries, with a coordination with the United States of America".

Trump spoke to Putin on the phone for about 40 minutes in the middle of his talks with Zelensky and European leaders at the White House today, the Kremlin has confirmed.

Russian media quoted a spokesperson for Putin, confirming the call took place.

As we've been reporting, several international news outlets earlier reported that a call had taken place, citing unnamed sources close to the talks.

We were not expecting Trump to speak to Putin until after talks with Zelensky and European leaders had concluded.

We still don't know what was discussed on the call, and Russian media has not disclosed much detail. Talks between Trump, Zelensky and European leaders are continuing in Washington.

A little earlier, before European leaders sat down with Donald Trump in the East Room at the White House, a hot mic picked up a conversation between the US President and French President Emmanuel Macron.

"I think he wants to make a deal. I think he wants to make a deal for me. You understand that? As crazy as that sounds," Trump tells Macron, appearing to refer to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The White House has just confirmed that the East Room multilateral has ended. Earlier, sources told the BBC the world leaders had moved to the Oval Office for further discussions.

A spokesman for Zelensky told several journalists that the resumed talks are in a "leaders only" format.

Stick with us and we'll bring you the latest.

Trump paused the meeting with Zelensky and European leaders to call Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to reports by German and US media.

Earlier, Trump said he would call Putin after the meeting, and also revealed the pair had communicated indirectly earlier today.

But several outlets have reported that Trump reached out to the Russian president while negotiations were still ongoing in the White House, citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the talks.

The White House has not commented on the reported call to Putin, and BBC News hasn't been able to verify that it took place. We will bring you more when we have it.

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring, at the White House

Sources in the Ukrainian delegation tell the BBC that talks between Trump, Zelensky and European leaders have resumed in the Oval Office.

Fake photo of leaders waiting outside Trump’s office shared widely, including by Don Jrpublished at 22:20 British Summer Time 18 August

22:20 BST 18 August

By Jake Horton

A fake image claiming to show European leaders sitting in a line at the White House has been viewed million of times.

"European leaders are sitting in the hallway, waiting for their meeting with Trump," social media account Nexta said on X alongside the image - before issuing a correction that "it is reported that the photo is fake and was generated by AI".

Donald Trump Junior also posted it to his 9.7 million followers on Instagram.

The image shows seven people sitting in a line, external – the closest person bears some resemblance to French President Emmanuel Macron.

The chair next to him though has a pair of legs but no torso or head.

Three women are pictured but there were only two women in the group who sat around the table with Trump.

And they are wearing different outfits to the ones Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen were wearing in their meeting with the US president.

Despite this, the image has been shared widely with comments including: "Humiliated and insulted in the White House corridor. Waiting for the master".

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring, at the White House

Sources in the Ukrainian delegation at the White House tell the BBC that presidents Trump and Zelensky are still in the building for more talks - "possibly in a different format".

The sources also say that Zelensky's previously planned interview with Fox News has been cancelled.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Image source, Vitaliy Shevchenko / BBC

Things have grown somewhat quiet at the White House.

The meeting between Trump and the European leaders has reportedly ended, with the entirety of the meeting having taken place behind closed doors. We don't know what was discussed, or if any substantive announcements will come of it.

As things stand, we aren't expecting to hear from them again here at the White House - although some of the visiting leaders may have press events for their own domestic media.

As the world waits to hear more, there are still dozens of reporters outside - some of whom were just caught in a torrential rainfall.

In the briefing room, many are passing the time discussing today's events, and wondering aloud what the next steps might be. Some are just scrolling through Instagram and X.

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring, at the White House

Sources in the Ukrainian delegation at the White House tell the BBC talks involving Trump, Zelensky and European leaders have ended.

No evidence for Trump’s figure on US spending on Ukrainepublished at 21:55 British Summer Time 18 August

21:55 BST 18 August

By Nick Beake

President Trump was asked about US military support for Ukraine and said "well over $300bn" had been spent.

We have not been able to find any evidence for this figure.

The US spent a total of $130.6bn (£98.9bn) between 24 January 2022 and 30 June 2025, according to the Kiel Institute, external, a Germany-based think tank that monitors international support for Ukraine.

The US Department of Defense has a higher figure but nowhere near the number that Trump cited.

It said $184.8bn has been, external , external"appropriated", external - as it put it – and spent on Operation Atlantic Resolve - a response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This figure covers US military training in Europe and replenishment of US defence stocks.

This total runs only to 31 March 2025, making it less up to date than the Kiel Institute's calculation. BBC Verify has asked the US Departments of Defense and the State Department if they can supply more recent figures.

• Read more: How much has the US given to Ukraine?

Did Trump really end six wars without a 'ceasefire' being mentioned?published at 21:34 British Summer Time 18 August

21:34 BST 18 August

By Jake Horton

When pressed on whether he would be seeking a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia before negotiating a full peace deal, President Trump claimed he had ended six wars since entering office, adding: "I ended these wars without even the mention of the word ceasefire".

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt listed the wars in July: "The president has now ended conflicts between Thailand and Cambodia, Israel and Iran, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, and Egypt and Ethiopia."

But Trump has used the word "ceasefire" repeatedly when talking about them.

"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE", he posted following four days of fighting in May.

On Israel and Iran, he posted: "Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World."

And following a short outbreak of fighting between Thailand and Cambodia, Trump said: "I am calling the Acting Prime Minister of Thailand, right now, to likewise request a Ceasefire, and END to the War, which is currently raging."

An "immediate and unconditional ceasefire" was agreed between the two countries and announced by the US secretary of state Marco Rubio, external on 28 July.

Main takeaways... so farpublished at 21:31 British Summer Time 18 August

21:31 BST 18 August

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring, at the White House

Now we know what the discussions between the US, Ukrainian and European leaders have been focusing on: security guarantees and prospects for a trilateral meeting involving presidents Trump, Zelensky and Putin.

What these guarantees may be exactly we don't know yet. Is the West prepared to give more weapons to Ukraine? Better weapons? Deploy boots on the ground in Ukraine?

Nor is it clear whether meeting Putin face-to-face will really make it any easier to end the war.

It is also apparent that differences persist on the issue of a ceasefire: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron say it should be the next step, President Trump disagrees after meeting President Putin in Alaska.

There's been no squabbling in public today, and that's an achievement.

So far, we've heard nothing about any agreements that may have been reached either in Anchorage or Washington. All our assumptions are based on picking apart statements made by various officials.

Sakshi Venkatraman
US reporter

Image source, Getty Images

US President Donald Trump is behind closed doors talking with European leaders. Here's what each of those European leaders had to see before the meeting started.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said today's talks have been "constructive" and they discussed "sensitive matters including security guarantees"

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said security guarantees and a trilateral meeting with Russia, Ukraine and the US would be a "historic" step forward

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stressed the need for a ceasefire before any meeting with Russia, telling Trump: "Let's work on that and let's try to put pressure on Russia"

French President Emmanuel Macron echoed Merz's calls for ceasefire and described the talks as a matter of security for all of Europe

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said one of the most important questions is "how to be sure that it won't happen again, which is the precondition of every kind of peace"

Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said the allies should push for an end to the targeting of Ukraine's infrastructure

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for the return of abducted Ukrainian children to be a top priority, adding: "As a mother and grandmother, every single child should go back to its family"

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said he "might come from a small country, but we have a long border with Russia" - and that he felt there had been more progress made on Ukraine in two weeks than in the past three years

James Waterhouse
Ukraine correspondent

Earlier in Trump's remarks alongside Zelensky in the Oval Office, the US president didn't rule out America’s involvement in Ukraine's long-term security, including boots on the ground.

It's quite a change from his stance at the start of the year, when it was a non-starter for the US president.

The world's media has left the room, but Trump and the assembled European leaders are still sat around the table in the White House where we last saw them, with talks continuing.

We're not able to hear this part of their discussion, but we're expecting to hear from some of the leaders when they're finished.

Stay with us and we'll bring you more when we have it.

What form could a US security guarantee take?published at 20:59 British Summer Time 18 August

20:59 BST 18 August

Frank Gardner
Security correspondent

At the heart of any future permanent peace deal between Ukraine and Russia will be some sort of security guarantee - discussed again in the meeting with European leaders just a few minutes ago - aimed at deterring Russia from attacking Ukraine again.

Up until now, the US has been reluctant to make any commitment in this direction, leaving it up to Britain and France with their so-called "coalition of the willing". But comments from the White House suggest the US may now be prepared to help.

So what form could this take? There are broadly 4 possibilities:

• Boots on the ground. This is considered the least likely. Donald Trump views this war as Europe’s problem, something that ‘would never have happened if he had been in office’. For him to commit ground troops, even in a peacekeeping role, to a conflict he deeply dislikes would take a major about-face.
• Air and sea patrols. This is more conceivable. The US Air Force has already been operating surveillance flights over the Black Sea and elsewhere to monitor the course of this war. But there is of course a world of difference between a non-confrontational reconnaissance flight or maritime patrol and one that is prepared to engage in an armed clash with a nuclear power like Russia.
• Intelligence. US satellite and aerial intelligence have proved vital in helping Ukraine hold back the advance of Russia’s invading forces. In the event of a peace deal agreed to by all sides, then this is one area where the US would probably be happy to assist.
• Logistics. Whatever form the UK/French-led "reassurance force" eventually takes in the event of a peace deal, then it’s going to need a lot of logistical support. Although the Trump administration has indicated it is looking to draw down its military presence in Europe, this is one non-lethal area that Washington would likely be happy to help with.

Europeans pursue a 'praise and persistence' strategypublished at 20:36 British Summer Time 18 August

20:36 BST 18 August

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent

After a round of public statements, a European strategy for today's historic meetings is coming into focus.

The key point of emphasis appears to be securing an American commitment to security guarantees for Ukraine. Nearly every European leader mentioned it in one form or another – with some trying to indicate that Donald Trump had already signed on to greater involvement.

Most used Trump's own words to help win his support. European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said it was important to "stop the killing" and referenced Melania Trump's call to consider the plight of Ukrainian children.

There was plenty of flattery, as well. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told Trump "something has changed thanks to you". German Chancellor Friedrich Merz thanked the American president for opening a path to negotiations by meeting with Vladimir Putin on Friday.

If there's a playbook for dealing with Trump – one that involves praise and persistence – it was on full display this afternoon.

Those public remarks from Trump and the European leaders have just finished. Trump says they would continue to chat in the East Room before moving back for more talks in the Oval Office.

A few reporters shouted out questions but they went unanswered.

We'll bring you a full round up of everything we've just heard shortly.