U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15 in Alaska to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. Trump suggested on social media that the parties involved, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, are close to a ceasefire agreement that could end the three-and-a-half-year conflict — an agreement that might require Ukraine to give up large areas of territory.
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At a White House briefing, Trump hinted that the deal would involve a territorial exchange “in the interest of both parties.”
However, Zelensky firmly stated on Saturday that Ukraine cannot violate its constitution regarding territorial issues, emphasizing that “Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupiers.”
The Kremlin confirmed the upcoming summit, with Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov saying the focus will be on “options for achieving a long-term peaceful settlement to the Ukrainian crisis.” He acknowledged the difficulty of the process but stressed ongoing “active and vigorous” efforts.
In a televised address on his Telegram channel, Zelensky said any decisions made without Ukraine’s involvement would be “decisions against peace,” “stillborn,” and unenforceable. He stressed the need for a genuine and effective peace.
Putin demands control over four Ukrainian regions — Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson — as well as Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, although Russian forces do not fully control all these areas.
Reports by Bloomberg suggested U.S.-Russian efforts to reach an agreement that would cement Moscow’s control over the territory seized since the invasion, but the White House dismissed these reports as speculation, and the Kremlin made no comment.
While Ukraine had previously indicated some flexibility toward ending the war, ceding nearly 20% of its territory would be politically painful and difficult for Zelensky and his government.
Former U.S. State Department official Tyson Barker said that Ukrainians would immediately reject the Bloomberg-proposed deal and called on Kyiv to stick to its positions while maintaining gratitude for U.S. support.
Leaks indicated that the potential agreement would halt Russian attacks in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia along current front lines.
The upcoming meeting follows steps taken by Trump in his second term to improve relations with Russia and end the war, despite his mixed statements praising and criticizing Russia. Frustrated with the ongoing Russian offensive, he threatened new sanctions against Moscow and countries importing its exports if Putin did not stop the war — the deadliest in Europe since World War II.
His administration also recently imposed a 25% tariff on goods from India due to its imports of Russian oil, marking the first financial penalty on Russia during his second term.
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff held a three-hour “constructive” meeting with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a close ally of Ukraine, said a temporary ceasefire might be imminent. He described Zelensky as “cautious but optimistic” and eager for Poland and other European countries to play a role in planning the ceasefire and a subsequent peaceful settlement.
— Reuters
