Meeting Outcomes and Reactions
Following a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a shift from advocating for an immediate ceasefire to pursuing a comprehensive peace agreement in Ukraine. This change seems advantageous for Putin, who has long desired direct negotiations for a definitive and all-encompassing accord. Conversely, Kyiv and its European allies view this as Moscow attempting to buy time for further territorial expansion.
Trump stated on his social media platform, Truth Social, that this path is “the best way to end the terrible war between Russia and Ukraine.” He argued that simple ceasefire agreements often fail to hold, despite previously threatening Moscow with severe consequences if hostilities continued.
However, the European Union’s Head of Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas, asserted that “Russia has no intention of ending this war in the near future.”
Putin’s Perspective
Upon returning to Moscow, Putin described the meeting with Trump as “timely” and “very useful.” He claimed that their conversation was “frank, substantive,” and brought them closer to necessary decisions.
Zelenskyy’s Upcoming Visit to Washington
The diplomatic focus now shifts to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s upcoming visit to Washington.
Zelenskyy’s previous visit to the White House in February ended in an unprecedented confrontation, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly criticizing Zelenskyy for insufficient gratitude towards U.S. aid against the Russian invasion initiated in February 2022.
Zelenskyy expressed anticipation for his new meeting with Trump, while Trump suggested in an interview with Fox News that Zelenskyy should now ensure a peace agreement while working towards a potential trilateral summit with Putin.
Support for Putin’s Territorial Plan
The Alaska summit allowed Putin a dramatic return to the diplomatic scene, without any announcement of an upcoming tripartite meeting involving Zelenskyy, a ceasefire pause, or new sanctions against Russia.
Although the meeting lasted over three hours and was deemed “very productive” by Trump, it sparked diplomatic enthusiasm in Europe, the primary affected region but notably absent from Alaska.
On his flight back to Washington, Trump first spoke with Zelenskyy and then connected with other European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and others.
A diplomatic source informed AFP that Trump proposed a U.S. plan to provide Kyiv with a security guarantee similar to NATO’s Article 5, which ensures mutual defense among members in case of attack.
Trump supports Russia’s proposal to take full control of two Ukrainian regions and freeze the frontline in others where Moscow only has partial control, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Putin’s Demands
Putin reportedly insists that Ukraine abandon Donbass, a region encompassing the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine, per a source.
In return, Russian forces would halt their offensive in the Black Sea port regions of Yerson and Zaporiyia in southern Ukraine, where major cities remain under Ukrainian control.
European Video Conference
Macron, Starmer, and Merz organized a video conference on Sunday with countries supporting Kyiv, known as the “willing coalition.”
In a previous statement, they welcomed the Trump-Putin-Zelenskyy summit plan but emphasized their commitment to maintaining pressure on Russia in the absence of a ceasefire.
“We will continue to strengthen sanctions and specific economic measures to curb Russia’s war economy until a just and lasting peace is achieved,” they declared.
Macron warned about Russia’s tendency to disregard its commitments, while Starmer asserted that the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Zelenskyy.
Ongoing Conflict
The bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II persists despite the summit.
Russia announced the capture of two localities in eastern Ukraine on Saturday, while Kyiv claimed to have repelled a recent Russian advance.
