WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump announced he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15 to discuss ending the Ukraine war — a potential breakthrough after weeks of expressing frustration at stalled peace efforts. The Kremlin has not confirmed the meeting, though both sides had expected talks soon.
The war, now in its fourth year since Russia invaded Ukraine, has claimed tens of thousands of lives. Trump hinted any agreement could involve a “swapping of territories,” but gave no specifics. Analysts suggest Moscow might relinquish land outside the four Ukrainian regions it claims to have annexed.
Trump said the summit would happen before any meeting involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, raising European fears that Kyiv could be sidelined. Hosting Putin on US soil breaks with expectations of a neutral venue and offers the Russian leader symbolic validation after years of Western isolation.
Putin last visited the US in 2015, and this would be the first US-Russia summit since Biden met him in Geneva in 2021. Trump said the meeting was delayed by security arrangements, insisting both Putin and Zelenskyy “want peace,” though he acknowledged negotiations would be “nothing easy.”
Trump’s earlier threats of sanctions and tariffs on nations buying Russian oil have so far failed to halt Moscow’s advance. Ukrainian troops, facing manpower shortages, remain engaged in fierce battles along a 1,000-kilometre front, particularly in Donetsk, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia.
Meanwhile, Putin has held calls with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other allies to discuss the conflict. Analysts say he hopes to secure bilateral concessions from Washington while avoiding serious peace talks, betting Russia can outlast Ukraine and the West.
