US President Donald Trump, during a recent virtual meeting with Western European leaders, has reportedly indicated that he seeks a ceasefire deal in the Ukraine conflict during his upcoming summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The proposal includes Ukraine’s involvement in territorial swaps negotiations with Russia, according to French President Emmanuel Macron, who stated that Trump had assured the Europeans that any discussions on territorial issues involving Ukraine would be negotiated with Kiev at the table.
The summit, scheduled for Friday, is also expected to see further diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict, with both sides emphasizing the importance of a peaceful resolution. Trump has also said that he expects the summit to be a “feel-out meeting” to determine whether the Ukraine conflict can be settled. During a separate press briefing following Wednesday’s video conference, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Western European leaders and Trump had agreed to put more “pressure” on Putin if no progress towards a peace deal is made in Alaska.
Russia has repeatedly stated that it is open to peaceful resolution, but has stressed that any deal would have to address the roots of the conflict and respect the realities on the ground. This includes the status of former Ukrainian territories that have joined Russia after holding public referendums. Moscow has said that it expects a positive outcome of Friday’s summit between Trump and Putin, adding that it sees the meeting as a chance to mend strained relations and move forward on long-standing issues.