US, Ukraine, and European Allies Plan Meeting Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit
The United States, Ukraine, and European allies are set to convene in the UK before the anticipated Trump-Putin summit on August 15 in Alaska, according to President Trump. The meeting aims to establish a unified stance among the nations involved ahead of this significant encounter with the Russian leader.
Axios reports, citing three informed sources, that high-ranking officials from the US, Ukraine, and several European nations are gathering this weekend in Britain to coordinate efforts before Trump’s historic meeting with Russia’s president. Concerns have arisen among Ukraine and several NATO allies regarding the potential for Trump to agree to Putin’s proposals for ending the war, possibly sidelining their interests.
The idea for the personal meeting emerged during a telephone conference on Friday involving representatives from the US, Ukraine, and European countries — the third such call in just three days. Details regarding the logistics of the proposed meeting are still under discussion, including the participants who will attend.
On Wednesday, Trump held a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European leaders to update them on the meeting between his special representative, Steve Vaitkoff, and Putin. Two sources indicated that Vaitkoff reported Putin’s willingness to wrap up the conflict, contingent upon Ukraine conceding the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, parts of which have been under Russian occupation since 2014, along with Crimea.
Sources suggest that some participants in the conversation were led to believe that Putin had agreed to drop claims on two further Ukrainian regions currently partially controlled by Russia: Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. This represents a significant concession compared to Russia’s previous demands.
However, during a subsequent video conference with Ukrainian and European officials, Vaitkoff stated that Putin was prepared to maintain the current positions in these regions. In the follow-up call on Friday, participants deliberated the possibility of an in-person meeting to consolidate their joint stance.
“We focused on coordinating positions to achieve a sustainable and just peace for Ukraine as quickly as possible. We are prepared to work as productively as possible to save lives and stop the fighting,” wrote Andriy Yermak, head of the President’s Office, on X following the discussion.
Ukrainian officials report they lack clear information on both the details of Russia’s proposal and the US position. One Ukrainian official informed Axios that even if Zelensky were to agree to Putin’s demands, he would need to declare a referendum, as the Ukrainian Constitution prohibits territorial concessions.
On Friday, Trump remarked that any potential agreement would involve a “certain exchange of territories for the benefit of both countries.” He added that Zelensky is preparing mechanisms that would allow him to “sign something” in a manner compliant with Ukrainian law, reports 24brussels.
