President Donald Trump announced he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska to talk about ending the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin hasn’t confirmed the meeting yet, but both sides had hinted at a possible summit as early as next week.
This meeting could be a turning point in a conflict that started over three years ago when Russia invaded Ukraine, causing tens of thousands of deaths. Still, no one expects the fighting to stop immediately, as Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart on peace terms.
Speaking to reporters at the White House before confirming the date, Trump suggested the deal might involve “some swapping of territories,” without going into detail. Analysts say Russia could be willing to give up land it controls outside the four annexed regions. Trump also said he would meet with Putin before any talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, even if Putin refuses to meet Zelenskyy. This has raised fears in Europe that Ukraine might be sidelined in peace efforts.
The announcement surprised many, as such meetings are usually held in neutral countries. Hosting Putin on U.S. soil gives him a form of legitimacy after years of diplomatic isolation over the war.
Putin last visited the U.S. in 2015 for a U.N. meeting. The upcoming Alaska summit would be the first U.S.-Russia meeting since Joe Biden’s 2021 Geneva summit with Putin.
Earlier this week, Trump announced a peace framework for the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, then promised a quick meeting with Putin. He set the date for August 15 in Alaska but gave few details.
Trump said the summit was delayed due to security arrangements. He added, “President Putin, I believe, wants peace, and Zelenskyy wants peace too.” He stressed that Ukraine is receiving “everything it needs” from the West.
The president acknowledged the deal wouldn’t be simple: “There’ll be some swapping of territories, to the betterment of both.” When asked if this was the last chance for peace, Trump avoided the phrase “last chance,” saying, “When those guns start going off, it’s awfully tough to get ’em to stop.”
Trump’s recent threats to impose more sanctions on Russia if it didn’t move toward peace have so far had no visible effect. Russia’s military continues pushing forward in Ukraine, causing heavy casualties and destruction. The two sides remain far from agreement.
On the ground, Ukrainian troops are engaged in fierce fighting across a 620-mile front. In eastern Donetsk, Ukrainian commanders say Russia shows no real interest in peace, and that victory is the only option.
“It is impossible to negotiate with them,” said a drone unit commander. “The only option is to defeat them.”
In southern Zaporizhzhia, another Ukrainian officer said, “We stand our ground, we have no choice.”
Meanwhile, Putin has been busy making phone calls to world leaders. Recently, he spoke with China’s Xi Jinping, who expressed support for a long-term resolution. Putin is expected to visit China next month.
Other calls included India’s Narendra Modi, whose country recently faced a U.S. tariff hike for buying Russian oil. Putin also reached out to leaders in South Africa, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus.
Some analysts see these calls as Putin preparing allies for a potential peace deal with the U.S. One Kremlin-friendly analyst said it could mean “some sort of real peace agreement has been reached for the first time.”
But many experts remain skeptical. The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said Putin “remains uninterested in ending his war” and aims to extract concessions from the U.S. without committing to peace.
Putin believes time is on Russia’s side and that Moscow can outlast Ukraine and Western support.
