‘One of the most vital days since the Soviet Union collapsed’: Russia kills civilians as Trump rules out Ukraine reclaiming Crimea or joining NATO ahead of Zelensky White House talks
Ukraine: The Latest
Louisa Wells / Francis Dearnley
4.8 • 2.3K Ratings
🗓️ 18 August 2025
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Day 1,272.
Today, after the Trump and Putin summit in the United States ends without accord – but with certain principles for peace seemingly agreed between them – we look ahead to the vital meeting between Zelensky, Trump, and European leaders in the White House, and consider why the proposal for Ukraine to cede Donbas would leave Ukraine strategically exposed.
We will be releasing a bonus episode immediately after the summit.
Contributors:
Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.
Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.
Roland Oliphant (Senior Foreign Analyst). @RolandOliphant on X.
Content Referenced:
In maps: Why the entire peace deal hangs on this small strip of Ukraine (Roland Oliphant in The Telegraph):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/18/maps-why-entire-peace-deal-hangs-on-small-strip-ukraine/
Russia taunts Ukraine by flying US flag on front line:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/18/russia-taunts-ukraine-american-flag-front-line/
Telegraph Ukraine Live Blog:
SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:
https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/
Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.
NOW AVAILABLE IN NEW LANGUAGES:
The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatest
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Telegraph. I'm Francis Dernley and this is Ukraine, the latest. Today, after the Trump |
| 0:15.2 | Putin summit of the United States ended without agreement, but with certain principles for peace |
| 0:20.0 | seemingly agreed between them. |
| 0:22.0 | We look ahead to the vital meeting between Zelensky, Trump and European leaders in the White |
| 0:26.1 | House today, and consider why the proposal for Ukraine to cede Dombas would leave the country |
| 0:31.8 | strategically exposed. |
| 0:34.5 | Bravery takes you through the most unimaginable hardships to finally reward you with |
| 0:42.7 | victory. |
| 0:43.7 | The Russia does not want peace. |
| 0:45.3 | First, we're fighting, with our help for the Ukraine, |
| 0:48.8 | also our freedom and our European values. |
| 0:54.0 | If I'm president, I will have that war settled in one day, 24 hours. We are with you, not just today or tomorrow, but for a hundred years. We can not as European let's get the Russia in Ukraine. Nobody's going to break us. We're strong. Where Ukraine is. |
| 1:13.3 | It's Monday, the 18th of August, three years and 177 days since the full-scale invasion began. |
| 1:20.4 | And today, fresh from the summit in Alaska, I'm joined by our associate editor of defense, |
| 1:24.8 | Dominic Nichols, and our chief foreign analyst, Roland |
| 1:27.6 | Ollifant. But first, the major diplomatic manoeuvres over the weekend and this morning. |
| 1:35.1 | Today is one of those rare occasions when it makes sense to start in the diplomatic realm |
| 1:39.4 | on what some are saying could be one of the most consequential days for peace and security in Europe |
| 1:43.7 | since the fall of the Soviet Union. Over the next few hours, we may see the contours of a peace |
| 1:49.8 | deal agreed, or, as currently feels more likely, a rejection by Ukraine of those contours put forward |
| 1:56.5 | by Putin and Trump, and thereby forcing Europe to make a choice, whether to back Kiev or back |
| 2:02.6 | Washington. As one person put it, this could be the geopolitically defining moment of the war. |
... |
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