U.S. President Donald Trump stated during a phone call with European leaders on Wednesday that he does not intend to discuss territorial divisions during his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also participated in the conversation.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Priority — Achieving a Ceasefire
During the dialogue, Trump emphasized that his main goal in negotiations with Putin is to ensure a ceasefire in Ukraine. European leaders and President Zelensky agreed that a ceasefire on Ukrainian territory must be achieved before peace talks can begin. However, some European participants noted that Trump does not express particular optimism regarding the outcomes of the meeting with the Russian leader.
According to diplomatic sources, the parties stressed that Ukraine must be involved in all negotiations and determine possible territorial compromises on its own.
“President Trump made it clear to Ukraine and its allies that he will demand an unconditional ceasefire from Putin, that territorial negotiations will only take place in the presence of Zelensky at the next meeting, and that the U.S. will participate in security guarantees developed by the Coalition of Willing led by France, the United Kingdom, and Germany.”
Concerns About the Meeting and Ukraine’s Position
Consultations between Trump, Zelensky, and European leaders took place on August 13, just days before the U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska. At the same time, there are concerns in European capitals and Kyiv that Trump and Putin may attempt to reach an agreement on the parameters of a peace deal and territorial concessions, and then force Ukraine to accept these terms. Particularly troubling are Trump’s comments last week about a possible “exchange of territories” between Ukraine and Russia.
On August 11, Trump entertained the scenario of “some exchange of territories” between Ukraine and Russia and expressed dissatisfaction with the need for constitutional approval from Ukraine on this matter.
According to U.S. media reports, Vladimir Putin told Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff that he would agree to a complete ceasefire only if Ukrainian troops withdraw from the entire Donetsk region. At the same time, sources confirm that Putin is not ready to abandon claims to the occupied territories in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine will not give up any of its territory to Russia. Although neither Zelensky nor European leaders received an invitation to the summit in Alaska, the U.S. administration and President Trump remain in constant contact with the Ukrainian and European sides.