On August 15, US President Donald Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska in an effort to end the current impasse in the Ukraine war. Both Washington and Moscow have confirmed the Alaska meeting, which has sparked a global debate about the possibility of territorial swaps and the fact that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy won’t be there, at least for now.
Still no word on possible trilateral talks
There have been discussions regarding inviting Zelenskyy to the Trump-Putin Alaska meeting, which the White House is said to be planning. There is a chance of a three-way summit in Alaska, according to NBC News, but there has been no official confirmation yet.
Zelenskyy’s Strong Stand
Zelenskyy has strongly opposed any contract that could “legalise the occupation” of Ukrainian land. He says that Russia started the war and must take full responsibility for ending it. He also says that Putin is using his “ability to kill” as a bargaining chip to get political concessions.
You should know more: Why Zelenskyy Rejects Deals Without Ukraine
Trump’s Campaign of Pressure
Trump has tried to use economic power against Russia by posing a 100% tariffs if a peace deal wasn’t reached within 50 days in July. He has also said that countries that trade with Russia will face secondary sanctions. Weeks later, he made good on his word by putting 50% tariffs on products coming from India, stating they were purchasing Russian oil and weapons.
The Alaska Summit Announcement
The meeting in Alaska on August 15 was made public after Trump’s ceasefire deadline had passed without any progress. Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Kremlin, said that Alaska was a “logical” place as it is only 88 kilometres across the Bering Strait from Russia. This will be the first time Trump and Putin have met since 2019.
The Peace Deal Controversy – Changing Borders
Trump has said that any deal would involve “some swapping” of land, which he says would be “for the betterment of both.” But Ukraine and its European allies are strongly towards giving up places like Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia. Putin says that Ukraine must give back land it took since 2014, cease seeking to join NATO, and agree to stop receiving help from the West.
Legal and Diplomatic Limitations
The International Criminal Court (ICC) continues to seek to arrest Putin for war crimes. The ICC says that member states must arrest him, but the US is not a member and does not recognise the ICC’s authority. The United Arab Emirates, which is also outside of ICC jurisdiction, was once indicated as a place for talks.
No agreement reached before the ceasefire deadline
Trump is getting ever more angry with Moscow as Russia continues to bombard Ukraine. He called the recent attacks on Kyiv “disgusting” and warned that more trade measures might be on the way. Recently, Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow. Trump later said that “great progress” had been made in the talks, but no deal has been achieved.
Putin and Zelenskyy’s relationship
Trump has been more lenient with Putin in the past, and at times it seemed like he was on Putin’s side over Zelenskyy. Trump said earlier this year that Ukraine’s desire to join NATO led to the invasion, which hurt interactions with Kyiv. Some analysts think that Putin may be deliberately dragging out talks to keep the war going.
Tusk Says the Conflict Might Be Frozen
Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister of Poland, has hinted that hostilities may soon come to an end. He said that his talks with Zelenskyy showed signs and “intuition” that it might be closer than expected.
Zelenskyy’s Update on the Ceasefire
Although there were talks, Russia’s ceasefire deadline passed without orders to stop battle. Zelenskyy said that there were over one hundred drone strikes and several attacks on the same day. He said that Ukraine’s allies continue to work together to get a ceasefire, but that Russia needs to feel more pressure.
In memory of Viktoriia Roshchyna
While high-level diplomacy continued on, Ukraine mourned journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who died in Russian captivity last year at the age of 27 and was buried in Kyiv. She was known for her fearless reporting on detention and torture in occupied Ukraine. Earlier this year, her body was returned under strange circumstances, and it was missing internal organs. Family and colleagues celebrated her bravery and dedication to the truth.
