President Donald Trump appears to be following a specific diplomatic playbook on the Ukraine crisis: first, consult with allies, then engage with the adversary. This pattern was evident in his recent meetings with Ukrainian and European leaders, followed by a call to Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
The consultations happened on August 18, when Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington. The aim was to align on a strategy for Ukraine’s future security.
Following this, Trump placed a call to Putin. He later informed reporters that his policy is to have Europe take the lead on security guarantees for Ukraine, with the U.S. providing “backup.”
This crisis management is happening alongside forward-looking strategic talks. Trump also disclosed that an earlier, August 15 meeting with Putin in Alaska involved discussions about reducing nuclear arms once the current conflict is over.