Putin and Trump Meet in Alaska to Discuss Ukraine Peace Talks
Putin and Trump Meet in Alaska, Discuss Path to End Ukraine War
ALASKA — Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump met on Friday for their first summit in more than four years, focusing on ways to end the ongoing war in Ukraine, the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two.
Following the talks, Trump announced on Monday that he has begun arranging a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders, which would be followed by a trilateral summit including himself.
When asked whether Putin was willing to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed, “Our president has repeatedly said that he is ready to meet, including with Mr. Zelenskiy.”
However, Lavrov emphasized conditions for such a meeting. He said all major issues would need thorough preparation by experts and ministers before any high-level discussions. Lavrov also highlighted concerns over Zelenskiy’s legitimacy, as his presidential term was set to end in May 2024, but no election has taken place due to the ongoing war. Russian officials worry that any deal signed by Zelenskiy could later be challenged by a future Ukrainian leader. Kyiv, however, continues to assert that Zelenskiy is the legitimate president.
Zelenskiy stated this week that Kyiv expects a “strong reaction” from Washington if Putin refuses a bilateral meeting.
European Skepticism and Security Concerns
European leaders have expressed doubt about Putin’s commitment to peace but are searching for ways to ensure Ukraine’s security with minimal U.S. involvement. Lavrov criticized European nations, accusing them of obstructing progress.
“They are not interested in a sustainable, fair, long-term settlement,” Lavrov said, referring to the so-called “coalition of the willing,” which includes Britain, France, Germany, and Italy. He added that European powers are focused on the strategic defeat of Russia, rather than achieving peace.
Lavrov also pointed to the 2022 Moscow-Kyiv discussions in Istanbul as the most viable framework for security guarantees for Ukraine. Under the draft plan, seen by Reuters, Ukraine would have agreed to permanent neutrality in exchange for security guarantees from the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council: Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States. Kyiv rejected the proposal at the time, arguing that Moscow would have effectively held veto power over any military response.
Lavrov warned that deviating from the Istanbul framework would be futile, underlining Moscow’s stance on any future peace negotiations.
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