US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday his intention to arrange a trilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin immediately after his scheduled summit with Putin in Alaska this Friday.
Speaking to reporters following what he described as a “very good” call with European leaders, Trump outlined his strategy for addressing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has now entered its third year.
“If the first one goes okay, we’ll have a quick second one,” Trump said, referring to the planned face-to-face meeting with Putin in Anchorage. “I would like to do it almost immediately — a quick second meeting between President Putin, President Zelensky, and myself, if they’d like to have me there.”
The announcement comes as Russian forces continue their most significant territorial gains in Ukraine in over a year, with AFP analysis showing Russian troops captured approximately 110 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory on Tuesday alone.
Trump’s diplomatic initiative follows a joint call earlier Wednesday involving Zelensky, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, other European leaders, and NATO and EU officials. The consensus among participants was for Trump to secure a ceasefire, with the US President warning Russia of “severe consequences” if it refused to negotiate.
However, concerns persist among European allies and Ukraine about potential outcomes of direct Trump-Putin negotiations. Critics worry that any agreement could force painful territorial concessions from Ukraine, particularly given that Zelensky was not invited to the initial Anchorage discussions.
Trump indicated he would maintain flexibility regarding the follow-up meeting, stating he would cancel it if Putin appeared to be negotiating in bad faith. “If I feel that it’s not appropriate because I didn’t get the answers we have to have, then we are not going to have a second meeting,” he warned.
Despite diplomatic efforts, Zelensky expressed skepticism about Russian intentions during the European leaders’ call. “I have told my colleagues — the US president and our European friends — that Putin definitely does not want peace,” the Ukrainian leader stated.
While Trump characterized Friday’s Alaska meeting as “really a feel-out meeting,” he hinted at potential land swaps in any future settlement. German Chancellor Merz noted that while Ukraine might be prepared to negotiate on territorial issues, recognizing Russian-occupied areas “would not be up for debate.”
The diplomatic push occurs against a backdrop of intensifying military action. Russian forces continue their offensive in eastern Ukraine, with Ukrainian troops near Kramatorsk expressing pessimism about near-term peace prospects.
“Putin is massing an army, he is stockpiling weapons, he is pulling the wool over our eyes,” said Artem, a 30-year-old Ukrainian serviceman. “This war will likely continue for a long time.”
Trump’s initiative represents his most concrete effort yet to fulfill his campaign promise to end the Ukraine conflict, though the ultimate success of such high-stakes diplomacy remains uncertain given the complex dynamics between all parties involved.
