U.S. President Trump and Russia’s Putin Meet Amid Ukrainian Concerns
On August 13, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump plans to leverage his upcoming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin to position himself as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize by advocating for a military settlement of the war favored by Ukraine, reports 24brussels. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Western leaders are set to hold a video call ahead of the summit to remind the U.S. leader of the significant “red lines.”
Ukraine has articulated five crucial conditions for any potential peace settlement:
- A durable ceasefire prior to any territorial changes;
- Russia must compensate for damages, estimated by Kyiv to be between $500 billion and $1 trillion;
- Security guarantees, which Ukraine views as membership in NATO and the EU;
- Retention of sanctions against Russia;
- The return of prisoners of war and children, with at least 20,000 minors involved.
However, current sentiments in Kyiv indicate a deep skepticism regarding potential outcomes from the Alaska negotiations. Both Ukraine and its European allies insist on maintaining pressure on Russia, warning that lifting initial and secondary sanctions or allowing for the resumption of trade would give Moscow a chance to regroup for further aggression. For Kyiv, the stakes in these negotiations are existential.
Concerns also mount among Ukraine and European leaders that Trump may fall into a trap during the Alaska meeting. Bloomberg emphasizes that if the U.S. President aims to emerge as a master negotiator rather than someone susceptible to manipulation, postponing the summit until he is better prepared might be prudent. Nonetheless, there are scant indications that he is considering such an option.
