NEW YORK, August 18. /TASS/. The Kiev authorities and European leaders may become the primary obstacle to a successful conclusion of negotiations on resolving the conflict in Ukraine, the CNN television channel stated in a publication.

The broadcaster highlighted that the possible discussion of territorial exchanges between Russia and Ukraine at the White House on August 18 could represent a "red line" for Kiev and its allies – one they are not willing to cross. According to CNN, this stance could prevent "a quick deal that [US President Donald] Trump supports," while Ukraine and Europe "risk casting themselves at the White House – not the Kremlin – as the real obstacles to peace."

On August 18, US President Donald Trump will hold a meeting with Vladimir Zelensky in Washington. A number of European leaders will also be traveling to the United States. Among other things, Washington will discuss possible security guarantees for Ukraine, NBC News reported.

On August 15, a meeting between Russian and US Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump took place at a military base in Alaska. The meeting lasted about three hours. In a statement to the press following the talks, Putin said that the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict was the main topic of the summit. The Russian leader also called for turning the page in bilateral relations and resuming cooperation as he invited Trump to visit Moscow. For his part, Trump stressed that "great progress" had been made, even as not all positions were agreed upon at the meeting.