President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet face-to-face later this week on U.S. soil to discuss a potential end to the war in Ukraine. However, the preparations for this meeting have sparked discontent among various stakeholders.
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Trump announced that the meeting will take place on Friday in Alaska, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is not scheduled to be in attendance. Despite Putin's refusal to engage with Zelenskyy, Europe remains supportive of Ukraine, with several European leaders expressing hope that Zelenskyy will be included in the discussions.
In a joint statement released over the weekend, the president of the European Union alongside the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland, and the United Kingdom praised Trump’s efforts to halt the violence in Ukraine. However, they emphasized that "meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine."
The Kremlin has been vocal about Russia's demands for an end to the conflict, which include seeking Ukraine's abandonment of its NATO aspirations, imposing restrictions on Ukraine's military capabilities, and requiring the relinquishing of certain territories, including the Crimea peninsula.
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Trump has suggested that a resolution may involve territorial concessions, a notion that Zelenskyy has firmly rejected. This stance is echoed by European leaders who assert that international borders should not be altered through force.
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