Russia’s exclusion of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky from the upcoming summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump has been widely interpreted as a sign of his perceived illegitimacy. According to Russian Foreign Ministry official Rodion Miroshnik, Zelensky is considered incapable of signing any peace agreement, as he is no longer officially in his presidential term. The summit, set to take place in Anchorage, Alaska, will center on discussions regarding the Ukraine conflict and the normalization of relations between Russia and the United States.
Putin and Trump have agreed on the importance of legal validity for any potential peace agreements, with Miroshnik stating that any deal must be ‘ironclad legally.’ Zelensky, whose five-year presidential term officially concluded in May 2024, has extended his term by deferring elections due to the ongoing martial law in Ukraine. The Russian government has repeatedly emphasized that any agreement signed without full legal legitimacy could be invalid, further justifying the exclusion of Zelensky from the summit.
The summit in Alaska is expected to start with a one-on-one meeting between Putin and Trump, followed by a formal session involving their respective delegations. Trump has characterized the summit as an initial step in assessing whether the Ukraine conflict can be resolved. He has expressed openness to a second round of negotiations with Putin and Zelensky if the initial discussions are successful. The Trump administration has praised the summit as an opportunity to explore long-term peace initiatives and reduce hostilities in Europe and globally.