A dangerous moment for the Transatlantic alliancepublished at 19:13 British Summer Time 18 August

19:13 BST 18 August

Frank Gardner
Security correspondent

The optics are very much about presenting a united front, showing that Europe is right behind Ukraine, that it doesn’t want to see any international borders changed by force, or see Russia’s aggression rewarded.

But this is where I think this is dangerous territory, and not just for Ukraine, but also for the Transatlantic alliance.

Because Trump - having vacillated from blaming Moscow to blaming Kyiv - now appears to be saying the onus is on Ukraine, and that if it wants to stop this war then it has got to sign up to this deal.

And the deal, as far as we can see, involves Zelensky being forced to give up land that he says he constitutionally can’t give up, in return for some kind of vague security guarantee.

Europe is going to be on Ukraine’s side with this, and that risks antagonising Trump.

So the risk here is that if Ukraine refuses to capitulate to Russia’s demands, then Trump will accuse it of being the obstacle to peace.

He may well decide if Ukraine isn’t interested in peace - i.e. surrendering - then he is washing his hands of it all.

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring, in Washington

As crucial talks begin between the Ukrainian and US presidents, air raid alarms sound across parts of Ukraine.

The country's air force has issued a warning that there is a threat of Russia using ballistic missiles right now. Not a rare occurrence by any means in Ukraine, but this time around the timing highlights the importance of happening on the other side of the globe, in Washington.

Map on display in Oval Office is graphic reminder of pressure on Zelenskypublished at 19:03 British Summer Time 18 August

19:03 BST 18 August

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent

In the Oval Office just now, across the Resolute Desk from where Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky were seated, a large map of Ukraine was on display.

The eastern portion of the nation, shaded in pink, illustrated territory that Russian military forces currently control – approximately 20% of the country.

It represented a cold reminder for the Ukrainians in the room of the current disposition of this nearly four-year old war – and could provide a graphic means for Trump to up the pressure on Zelensky to trade land for peace now that the gathered media have departed.

Trump casts doubt on ceasefire, a win for Putinpublished at 18:58 British Summer Time 18 August

18:58 BST 18 August

Liza Fokht
BBC News Russian

One of Donald Trump’s key remarks at his press conference — sure to be welcomed in the Kremlin — concerned a ceasefire in Ukraine.

For months, Trump had demanded an immediate halt to fighting and threatened Russia with sanctions if it did not comply.

But after the Alaska summit, he unexpectedly said he no longer expects Moscow to agree to a ceasefire. Today he explained why.

“Strategically that could be a disadvantage for one side,” Trump said.

That is music to Vladimir Putin’s ears. The Russian leader has long insisted that only a comprehensive peace settlement on Moscow’s terms should come first, with a ceasefire to follow.

It appears Putin may have convinced Washington that this is the quickest path to the end of the war Trump so urgently desires.

The question now is how far the US is prepared to go to persuade Volodymyr Zelensky to accept that vision.

Trump is asked if any part of his discussion with Putin on Friday left him disappointed.

He says he "just spoke" to Putin "indirectly" and they will have a phone call "right after" his meetings today.

And they may or may not have a trilateral meeting, he says. If they don't, Trumps says the fighting continues. And if they do, the US president says they have a "good chance of maybe ending it".

"He's expecting my call when we're finished with this meeting," Trump says.

And with that Trump thanks the press and they are ushered out of the room.

Trump says the European leaders waiting in another room of the White House want to help end the war, and Trump wants to aid them in making a deal.

A reporter asked him what his message is to the Ukrainian people, and Trump said they're "great people" who love their country.

"I love the Russian people as well," Trump said, emphasising that he wants to end the war.

A question now for Zelensky: What does he need from the US to guarantee Ukraine's security? Is it troops, intelligence, equipment?

"Everything," Zelensky says emphatically, leaning forward in his chair.

He needs a strong Ukrainian army. It's about weapons, people, training missions, intelligence, he says.

He says he will discuss this with "our partners" - the "big countries" including the US.

Zelensky flips the script on infamous suit issuepublished at 18:43 British Summer Time 18 August

18:43 BST 18 August

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Image source, Getty Images

This wartime meeting is deadly serious business - but it did have a lighthearted moment when the infamous issue of Zelensky's apparel returned.

Zelensky was asked about his suit by Brian Glenn, the same reporter from conservative outlet Real America's Voice who asked him about his suit ahead of the heated Oval Office exchange in February.

This time, the Ukrainian president - dressed in a dark suit rather than his usual military-style garb - came prepared.

"You're wearing the same suit [as last time]," Zelensky told Glenn, eliciting laughter from reporters and staffers gathered in the Oval Office.

Trump said he told Zelensky he looks good.

It may seem like a minor point, but this is a US president who values decorum and respect for his office, something that emerged as a bit of a sticking point last time Zelensky was here.

The Ukrainian delegation and their European allies will no doubt be pleased by how Zelensky handled the exchange.

Trump has just been asked how much in money and weapons he plans to give to Ukraine.

Trump once again blames Joe Biden's administration for the war and claims it would not have happened if he was in power during Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Zelensky says Ukraine has the possibility to buy weapons from the US with help from European countries and other programmes that finance it.

He says it is very important to strengthen the country's army and rearm Ukraine.

"We need it very much," he says.

Trump is asked about giving Ukraine security guarantees and Nato-like protection as part of a peace settlement.

The US president says that hasn't been discussed yet but "we will give them very good protection, very good security" to Kyiv.

Zelensky is quiet in this meetingpublished at 18:41 British Summer Time 18 August

18:41 BST 18 August

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

Image source, Reuters

Zelensky has hardly had a chance to speak.

Or maybe he doesn’t want to, given that what he wants to say will be different from what Trump wants to hear?

Trump is asked by a reporter if there will be severe consequences if there's no ceasefire.

"I don't think you need a ceasefire," Trump replies.

The US president says "it might be good to have" but he says it may not be necessary for peace.

He also adds that, "strategically", one country or the other might not want a ceasefire.

As a reminder, this is a shift from Trump's position before his meeting with Putin last week. Trump had said before the summit on Friday that he wanted a ceasefire "rapidly", having threatened Russia with economic sanctions if one was not agreed.

A reporter asks Trump about a letter from US First Lady Melania Trump given to Putin a few days ago, which reportedly references the plight of Ukrainian children suffering from the war.

And he's asked if the letter was necessary because the first lady thinks Putin is the aggressor in this war.

"The first lady felt very strongly," Trump says, saying she has a "great love of children", referencing their 19-year-old son Barron Trump, and says she hates to "see something like this happening".

The letter was very well received by Putin, he says.

Trump playing it close to the vestpublished at 18:35 British Summer Time 18 August

18:35 BST 18 August

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent in Washington

When Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky had their acrimonious Oval Office meeting in February, the American president told his Ukrainian counterpart that he did not "have the cards".

This time around, Trump is keeping his cards to himself. Little of what he said so far has been new. He didn't even take a position on whether the US would consider sending troops to Ukraine to enforce a lasting peace agreement – a move that would be highly controversial among his political base.

At some point, Trump will have to tip his hand. But it doesn’t look like it will be before this afternoon full of high-stakes meetings.

So far, a display of civility from the two leaderspublished at 18:34 British Summer Time 18 August

18:34 BST 18 August

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

Image source, Getty Images

So far in their Oval Office meeting, Trump and Zelensky are doing their best not to sound confrontational despite the difference of opinion on how to end this war.

Trump is asked if he has an understanding about what Vladimir Putin thinks the root causes of the war are.

The US president responds by asserting that the war will end, but says he's not sure when. Zelensky and Putin both want the war to end, Trump says. He said of all the wars he's stopped, he thought Russia and Ukraine would be "easy" but it hasn't been.

Trump is asked if the US will send "American peacekeepers" to Ukraine to secure a peace deal.

"We're gonna work with Ukraine, we're gonna work with everybody" to make sure the peace is "very long term".

The US will work with both Russia and Ukraine to "make sure it works", he adds.

"If we can get to peace I know it's going to work. I have no doubt about it."

Cautious optimism from Trump at start of Zelensky meetingpublished at 18:30 British Summer Time 18 August

18:30 BST 18 August

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Today's meeting between Trump and Zelensky has a very different tone than the infamous February dust-up in the Oval Office.

Trump, for his part, seems at least cautiously optimistic that today's meeting will bring the warring parties closer to peace - starting with a potential trilateral meeting between the US, Ukraine and Russia.

Notably, Trump also said that he "can never say" that the US will walk away from negotiations. In the past, there had been some suggestion that the Trump administration could turn away - essentially give up - if there is no progress.

What we don't know, so far, is what any peace looks like. Trump declined to provide any details on what US security guarantees for Ukraine could look like - a crucial and lingering question for Ukraine and its European allies.

It seems as if some of those details will be discussed behind closed doors, and in the meeting later today with European allies.

For now, we've little idea about what the outcome of today will be - although many Ukrainian observers will be heartened to hear Trump say that he hopes for a "lasting peace".

Image source, Getty Images

Trump continues his response, and says "a lot of people" were killed last week.

He says he and Zelensky want to see it ended, and says he believes the same of Putin.

Trump is asked which side, Russia or Ukraine has the better cards.

Trump says he doesn't want to say, and adds "this is not my war," again blaming former US President Joe Biden for not stopping Russia's 2022 invasion, and reiterates the war needs to end, saying he wants it to end well for everyone.

Zelensky is asked whether he would consider ceding territory.

The Ukrainian leader says that "we need to stop the war, to stop Russia".

Zelensky says Ukrainians are strong and that they support Trump's plans to end the war in a "diplomatic way".

He says he wants to have a trilateral meeting with the US president and Russia's Vladimir Putin.