Fox News interrupted regular programming on Monday to carry a surprise White House address, where former President Donald Trump declared that “peace is in reach” in the war in Ukraine following talks at the Alaska summit. The network cut into its scheduled broadcasts as Trump announced what he described as a significant step forward in negotiations with Russia.
Speaking from the White House, Trump said, “The Alaska summit reinforced my belief that while difficult, peace is in reach. I believe that in a very significant step, President Putin agreed that Russia would accept security assurances for Ukraine.” He went on to say, “I am optimistic that collectively we can reach an agreement that would deter any future aggression against Ukraine. I think the European countries are going to take a lot of the burden.”
“I want to get to heaven.”
President Trump makes a humble admission as he pushes to end the war between Ukraine and Russia. pic.twitter.com/r5r0TuUuPM
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 19, 2025
Fox News carried the remarks live, drawing immediate attention as speculation swirled about whether Trump had moved closer to securing an agreement. The announcement came after days of anticipation surrounding the high-level discussions, which were attended by European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
British Labour leader Keir Starmer appeared on Fox News shortly after Trump’s speech, calling the day an important milestone. “I think today will be seen as a very important day in recent years in relation to a conflict which has gone on for three and a bit years, and so far nobody has been able to bring it to this point. So I thank you for that,” Starmer said. His words added to the sense that the gathering had moved the needle in a war that has dragged on with little resolution.
French President Emmanuel Macron also stressed the importance of strong security arrangements to protect both Ukraine and Europe. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen added an emotional note, urging the international community to “stop the killing” and highlighting the humanitarian toll. Melania Trump had echoed a similar sentiment earlier, calling for consideration of Ukrainian children affected by the war in a letter to Putin.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised Trump directly, stating, “Something has changed thanks to you.” The comments reflected a wave of European support for the new direction, even as questions linger about how an agreement would be enforced.
Zelenskyy, who met with Trump in the White House, described their conversation as “constructive, specific” and “a very good conversation.” The Ukrainian president expressed gratitude to Trump for taking the time to meet and signaled cautious optimism about the direction of the talks.
Trump suggested that the next step could be a three-way meeting involving himself, Zelenskyy, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. “All of us would obviously prefer an immediate ceasefire while we work on a lasting peace, and maybe something like that could happen. As of this moment, it’s not happening,” Trump said. He noted that in past negotiations, ceasefires had not always been implemented immediately, but insisted that a durable peace agreement remains “very attainable.”
“Everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine. At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting…” – President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/avDo5j39F9
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 18, 2025
European leaders welcomed Trump’s announcement but also urged caution. Some officials emphasized that any security guarantees must be enforceable and not symbolic. Proposals under discussion include enhanced air defense systems and intelligence-sharing efforts, but Russia’s resistance to Western military presence in Ukraine continues to complicate the picture.
