Upcoming meeting aims to gauge Russia’s stance on ending the conflict
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this Friday to determine whether there is willingness to end the war in Ukraine, now entering its fourth year.
An exploratory discussion
Trump characterized the meeting as a “feel-out” session to see if meaningful progress can be made toward a deal. He stated that he expects to know within the first few minutes whether there is a real chance for negotiation. Depending on the outcome, he said he might either move forward with talks or conclude that no agreement is possible.
The U.S. president has previously expressed his intent to leverage his personal relationship with Putin to broker a resolution. However, he acknowledged that any potential agreement could involve territorial exchanges, given Russia’s control over key areas in Ukraine. Trump noted that his objective would be to secure the return of part of that territory to Kyiv.
Consultation with European and Ukrainian leaders
Trump confirmed that he will speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders before and after the summit. He emphasized the importance of gathering a wide range of perspectives ahead of the discussion.
This will be the first in-person meeting between Trump and Putin since 2019. According to Trump, the next step should be arranging a direct meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian presidents, with his participation if needed to support the talks.
