President Donald Trump’s week will culminate in a high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where the two leaders are expected to discuss the war in Ukraine and the broader state of U.S.–Russia relations on the global stage. The summit, scheduled for Friday, has drawn international scrutiny amid concerns that Washington and Moscow could attempt to broker terms for ending the conflict without formally involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, leaving him only a tacit role in negotiations.
Zelenskyy has been lobbying European leaders to support his bid to join the talks, fearing that a deal negotiated between Trump and Putin could exclude Kyiv from the peace process. Trump has previously expressed optimism that a ceasefire deal with Putin is close, although it would require Ukraine to cede significant territory — an outcome that has been widely rejected by both Ukraine and its European allies.
Russian forces currently occupy approximately one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory stretching from the Russian border to Crimea — including regions vital to the country’s economy, rich in minerals, industry, and home to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. This occupation has placed a heavy burden on Ukraine’s economy and security, with the war having entered its third year and fifth month without any signs of a decisive end.
Both the White House and the Kremlin have acknowledged Zelenskyy’s request to join the talks, though no formal invitation has been extended to the Ukrainian leader. If granted a seat at the table, it would mark the first face-to-face meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin since the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022.
European leaders, including those of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland, and the European Commission, have issued a joint statement emphasizing the need for any diplomatic solution between Trump and Putin to uphold the security interests of both Ukraine and Europe. They argue that any resolution must include Kyiv, as its inclusion is crucial for the long-term stability of the region.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also voiced support for Zelenskyy’s attendance at the meeting, calling the summit an opportunity to test Putin’s sincerity in seeking to end the war. Zelenskyy thanked the European leaders for their support and reiterated that the end of the war must be fair, as he sees it as a matter of vital security interests for Ukraine and Europe.
The Kremlin has stated that Trump and Putin will focus on discussing options for achieving a long-term peaceful resolution in Ukraine. While the specifics of the talks remain undisclosed, the outcome could have significant implications for the future of the region and the international political landscape.