Washington, United States – US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15 in Alaska. They will negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.
Trump made the highly anticipated announcement on social media. He stated the parties, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, were close to reaching a ceasefire agreement. This agreement could resolve the three-and-a-half-year conflict. However, it might require Ukraine to cede significant territory.
Speaking to reporters at the White House earlier Friday, Trump suggested the agreement would include a land swap.
“There will be a land swap to improve both situations,” the Republican president said.
But President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that Ukraine cannot violate its constitution on regional issues. He added that “Ukrainians will not give their lands to the occupiers”.
The Kremlin confirmed the summit in an online statement.
Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov said the two leaders “will focus on discussing options for achieving a long-term peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis.” He added, “Obviously, this process will be difficult. However, we will actively and energetically participate in it.”
In a video address to the nation, posted on his Telegram channel on Saturday, Zelensky said that any decisions without Ukraine would be decisions against peace.
They will achieve nothing. These are decisions born dead. Unenforceable decisions. We all need a real and sincere peace, Zelensky said.
Putin claims four Ukrainian regions – Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson – as well as Crimea, which he annexed in 2014. His forces do not fully control all territory in the four regions.
Earlier, Bloomberg News Agency reported that American and Russian officials are working to reach an agreement. This agreement would ensure Moscow’s annexation of Ukrainian territories it seized during its war against Kiev.
A White House official said the Bloomberg report was just speculation. A Kremlin spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.
Ukraine had previously expressed its willingness to show flexibility in seeking to end the war. The war destroyed its towns and cities and claimed the lives of large numbers of its soldiers and citizens.
But accepting the loss of about a fifth of Ukraine’s territory would be painful. It would also pose a political challenge to Zelensky and his government.
Tyson Parker, former deputy special representative of the US State Department for economic recovery in Ukraine, said the peace proposal as outlined in the Bloomberg report would be immediately rejected by the Ukrainians.
“The best thing the Ukrainians can do is remain steadfast in their objections and terms for a negotiated settlement. They should also show their gratitude for American support,” said Parker, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.
Under the supposed agreement, according to Bloomberg, Russia will stop its offensive in the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions. This halt will occur along the current battle lines.
Trump and Putin
The last time Alaska hosted a high-profile diplomatic gathering was in March 2021. At that time, senior officials from former Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration met with senior Chinese officials in Anchorage.
The meeting between top US diplomat Antony Blinken and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi quickly turned into a stunning public clash in front of the cameras. Both sides exchanged sharp criticism of each other’s policies. This reflected the intense tension in bilateral relations.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has strived to mend relations with Russia and seek to end the war. In his public statements, his views ranged from admiration for Putin to harsh criticism of him.
In a sign of his growing frustration with Putin’s refusal to halt Russia’s military offensive, Trump threatened to impose new sanctions and tariffs starting Friday. These would target Moscow and countries that buy its exports. This would occur unless the Russian leader agrees to end Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War II.
It was not clear until Friday evening whether these sanctions would come into effect or be postponed or cancelled.
The US administration took a step towards punishing Russian oil customers on Wednesday by imposing additional customs duties of 25% on goods coming from India. This was due to its imports of Russian oil. It marked the first financial penalty targeting Russia in Trump’s second term.
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff also held three hours of talks with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday. Both sides described the talks as constructive.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a close ally of Ukraine, said earlier on Friday that a truce in the conflict could be imminent. He was speaking after his conversations with Zelensky.
