On Thursday, US President Donald Trump asserted that he would not allow himself to be intimidated by Russian President Vladimir Putin as the two prepared for a high-profile summit.
Trump emphasized that Ukraine would have a role in any decisions regarding its future.
Putin is scheduled to arrive in Alaska on Friday at Trump’s invitation, marking his first trip to a Western nation since launching the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
As Russian forces advanced on the battlefield, the Kremlin confirmed that Putin and Trump plan to hold private talks, raising concerns among European leaders that Putin might pressure Trump into accepting an agreement that disadvantages Kyiv.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump declared, “I am president, and he’s not going to mess around with me.” He added that within the first few minutes of the meeting, he would be able to judge whether the talks would be productive or not. “If it’s a bad meeting, it’ll end very quickly, and if it’s a good meeting, we’re going to end up getting peace in the pretty near future,” he said, estimating a one-in-four chance of the summit failing.
Trump has previously expressed admiration for Putin and drew heavy criticism after the 2018 Helsinki summit, where he appeared to side with Putin’s denials over US intelligence assessments regarding election interference.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not been invited to the Alaska talks, a move he has condemned as a concession to Putin. Zelensky has rejected Trump’s proposals to cede territory. Trump pledged not to reach any final deal with Putin without including Ukraine, expressing a desire to hold a three-way meeting with Zelensky, potentially right after the Alaska summit.
Speaking to Fox News Radio, Trump described the follow-up meeting as crucial: “That’s going to be a meeting where they make a deal. And I don’t want to use the word ‘divvy’ things up. But you know, to a certain extent, it’s not a bad term.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that any agreement must also provide “security guarantees” for Ukraine. However, Trump has previously supported Russia’s position that Ukraine should be barred from joining NATO.
Earlier in his campaign, Trump boasted he could resolve the war within 24 hours of taking office in January. But repeated outreach to Putin and heavy pressure on Zelensky to compromise have not swayed Moscow, prompting Trump to warn of “very severe consequences” if Putin continues to reject his overtures.
The summit will begin at 11:30 a.m. local time (1930 GMT) on Friday at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, a key US military hub for monitoring Russia.
Meanwhile, Zelensky met in London with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who reaffirmed his support, following similar commitments from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin. Merz urged Putin to take advantage of the “opportunity” for a ceasefire, stressing that any serious peace initiative should include Zelensky. He suggested Trump “can now take a major step toward peace.”
Russia’s military gains in the days leading up to the summit have intensified the urgency. On Thursday, Ukraine ordered the mandatory evacuation of families with children from Druzhkivka and four surrounding villages near an area where Russian forces made rapid advances.
Diplomatic efforts since the start of the war have achieved little beyond prisoner exchanges. On Thursday, Moscow confirmed the return of 84 Ukrainian prisoners in exchange for an equal number of Russian captives.
In the United States, public opinion remains divided. A Pew Research Center survey found that 59 percent of Americans lack confidence in Trump’s handling of the situation.
In Anchorage, the host city for the summit, outward signs of the event’s global significance were minimal, except for anti-Putin posters downtown. Local views were mixed: Jay Ahuja, 62, from North Carolina, called it “a travesty” to host Putin, fearing it could undermine any genuine chance for peace. In contrast, Kimberly Brown, 63, from Ohio, welcomed the choice of venue, saying, “I just think that Trump is the best person to negotiate world peace.”
What you should know
The Alaska summit between Trump and Putin is drawing global attention due to its potential impact on the war in Ukraine.
While Trump insists Ukraine will be part of any settlement, concerns remain about Russia’s recent battlefield advances and the exclusion of Zelensky from the initial talks.
The meeting is seen as a high-stakes diplomatic test, with both hopes for peace and fears of unfavorable concessions hanging in the balance.
