WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday characterized his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “feel-out” session, aimed at gauging Moscow’s ideas for ending the war in Ukraine. The summit — scheduled for Friday in Alaska — will mark the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Trump, who has repeatedly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for rejecting territorial compromises, said he intended to hear Putin’s proposals before taking them to European and NATO leaders, as well as to Kyiv. “We’re going to see what he has in mind,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “If it’s a fair deal, I’ll share it with EU leaders, NATO, and President Zelensky. I might say, ‘Good luck, keep fighting,’ or I might say, ‘We can make a deal.’”
The US president, who began his second term with bold claims that he could resolve the conflict within 24 hours, has so far failed to secure a breakthrough despite multiple rounds of talks and diplomatic outreach. While often eager to tout his negotiation skills, Trump cautioned against expecting immediate results from the Alaska talks, describing them as “constructive conversations” rather than a decisive moment.
European capitals are watching closely, with some leaders expressing quiet concern that Trump and Putin might pressure Ukraine into concessions they see as unacceptable. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has convened a virtual meeting for Wednesday with French, British, and other European leaders, along with EU and NATO chiefs, to coordinate positions ahead of the summit. Merz’s office said discussions would focus on “further measures to pressure Russia” and “preparations for potential peace negotiations, including issues related to territory and security.”
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, speaking after talks in Brussels with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, reiterated the bloc’s position that Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable. “Until Russia agrees to a full and unconditional ceasefire, we should not even discuss concessions,” Kallas said, noting that past compromises with Moscow had failed.
In a joint statement, EU leaders underlined Ukraine’s right to determine its own future and warned that “international borders must not be altered by force.”
Zelensky, who has categorically ruled out ceding territory, again cautioned against any settlement that rewards Russian aggression. “Russia refuses to stop the killings and therefore must not receive any rewards or benefits,” he wrote on social media. “This is not only a moral stance it’s a rational one. Concessions do not persuade a killer.”
Trump, however, suggested that some form of land exchange would likely be necessary to reach an agreement. “There’ll be some swapping, there’ll be some changes in land,” he said, while adding that he would tell Putin directly that “you’ve got to end this war.”
