The war in Ukraine has taken on new dimensions with diplomatic developments in recent days, with expectations surrounding the meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska. With growing pressure from Kyiv and European allies, the meeting will take place to seal a peace agreement, but there are concerns that the agreement could further weaken Ukrainian sovereignty.
Trump and Putin align expectations for decisive meeting
U.S. President Donald Trump said he believes his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, is ready to end his war in Ukraine, speaking on the eve of Friday’s summit between the men, but that peace would likely require at least a second meeting involving Ukraine’s leader.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his European allies have intensified their efforts this week to prevent any deal between the U.S. and Russia emerging from Friday’s summit in Alaska that leaves Ukraine vulnerable to future attack.
Trump has downplayed talk of a ceasefire emerging from the summit and speculated about a possible second meeting to come, involving more leaders. Putin earlier spoke to his most senior ministers and security officials as he prepared for a meeting with Trump in Anchorage, Alaska, that could shape the endgame to the largest war in Europe since World War Two.
Nuclear control becomes a topic of conversation
In televised comments, Putin said the U.S. was “making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the hostilities, stop the crisis and reach agreements that are of interest to all parties involved in this conflict.” This was happening, Putin said, “to create long-term conditions for peace between our countries, and in Europe, and the world as a whole – if, by the next stages, we reach agreements in the area of control over strategic offensive weapons.”
His comments signalled that Russia will raise nuclear arms control as part of a wide-ranging discussion on security when he sits down with Trump. A Kremlin aide said Putin and Trump would also discuss the “huge untapped potential” for Russia-U.S. economic ties. A senior Eastern European official, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said Putin would try to distract Trump from Ukraine at the talks by offering him possible progress on nuclear arms control or something business-related.
Resistance from Zelensky and European allies
In recent meetings with European leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated that he will not accept any negotiations, especially those involving the cession of Ukrainian territory as a bargaining chip for peace. In a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the president reaffirmed that Ukraine’s territory is non-negotiable and that concessions in this regard would only legitimize Russian aggression.
Trump said there would be a press conference after the talks, but that he did not know whether it would be joint. He also said in an earlier interview with Fox News that there would be “a give and take” on boundaries and land. Russia controls around a fifth of Ukraine, and Zelenskiy and the Europeans worry that a deal could cement those gains, rewarding Putin for 11 years of efforts to seize Ukrainian land and emboldening him to expand further into Europe.
Concessions still generate uncertainty in this scenario
Experts say any proposed border negotiations could consolidate Russian control over already occupied regions, reducing expectations of lasting peace. There are concerns that a partial agreement could set a precedent for further attacks in the future, increasing regional instability.
The Alaska meeting could define a new course for the war, as well as deepen divergences between the countries’ interests, depending on Kyiv’s demands. Trump and Putin are seeking to open channels of negotiation, but Zelensky and European allies emphasize that peace cannot be achieved at the expense of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
GCN.com/Reuters