US President Donald Trump (R, Rear) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (L, Rear) attend a joint press conference after concluding their talks in Anchorage, Alaska, the UnitedStates, on Aug. 15. 2025.The talks, held at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in the city ofAnchorage, lasted about three hours. Photo: Xinhua

"Dismayed" European leaders will hold a virtual meeting on Sunday and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will hurry to Washington DC on Monday to meet US President Donald Trump, as US President on Saturday split from key European allies and Kiev after his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, backing Putin's plan for a sweeping peace agreement based on Ukraine ceding territory it controls to Russia, instead of the urgent ceasefire Trump had said he wanted before the meeting, according to media reports.

Skipping ceasefire discussions would give Russia an advantage in the talks, which are expected to continue on Monday when Zelensky visits Trump at the White House. It will be their first meeting since the disastrous Oval Office fallout in March, which quickly devolved into chaos, media reported. 

Trump told European leaders that he believed a rapid peace deal could be negotiated if Zelensky agreed to give up the rest of the Donbas region to Russia, even those areas not occupied by Russian troops, the New York Times reported citing two senior European officials briefed on the call.

Trump wrote on Truth Social early on Saturday that he had spoken by phone to Zelensky and some European leaders after his meeting with Putin. He claimed "it was determined by all" that it was better to go directly to negotiating a peace agreement without first implementing a ceasefire, according to the report.

European leaders, however, have made clear that was not the case. They issued a statement that did not echo Trump's claim that peace talks were preferable to a ceasefire. 

The statement said that Zelensky, who was not invited to the summit, should be present during any future talks, and that "it will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory," CNBC reported. Britain, France, Germany and others threatened to increase economic penalties on Russia as long as the conflict continues."

Ukraine's allies in Europe also expressed concern that Trump was moving closer to Putin's position following their meeting. The lack of an immediate ceasefire allows Russia to continue its fighting in Ukraine without the threat of punishment from the US or its allies, per the CNBC. 

Trump's comments indicate a dramatic shift in his position on how to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, per the BBC.

On Monday, the Ukrainian leader will travel to Washington DC. Following a phone call with Trump after the summit, Zelensky called for a real, lasting peace, while adding that "the fire must cease," according to the BBC.

CBS reported, citing diplomatic sources, that European diplomats were concerned Trump may try to pressure Zelensky on Monday into agreeing to deal terms he and Putin may have discussed at the summit.

In an interview with Fox News following Friday's summit, Trump was asked what advice he has for the Ukrainian leader, to which he responded by saying "make a deal".

"Russia's a very big power and they're not," he added.

Meanwhile, the "coalition of the willing" - a group of countries that have pledged to strengthen support for Ukraine that includes the UK, France, and Germany - will hold a call on Sunday afternoon before Zelensky's visit to the White House on Monday. The leaders said they were "ready to work" towards a trilateral summit with European support.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Saturday that a trilateral meeting involving Putin, Zelensky, and Trump is expected to follow Monday's meeting, though uncertainties remain, he said in an interview with public broadcaster ARD, Xinhua News Agency reported.