Trump Putin Alaska summit stirs Ukraine worries

A bilateral summit in Alaska between Trump and Putin excludes Ukraine, raising questions about legitimacy and the potential impact on future peace efforts.

Trump Putin Alaska Talks Stir Ukraine Dilemma Without Kyiv

Good morning. A peace summit in Alaska will bring Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin together to discuss a path to end the war in Ukraine. Kyiv was not invited, framing the gathering as a bilateral deal rather than a multilateral effort with Ukraine at the center. Zelenskyy has warned that Russia is not seeking an end but moving to build momentum for new offensives, raising questions about what a talks outcome could mean for Ukraine.

Analysts say Moscow has expanded its war economy, producing drones and missiles and using them in larger numbers. Frontline activity near Donetsk is described as small but psychologically aimed at showing Ukraine is losing leverage. The aim, critics argue, is to create facts on the ground before any three way talks, while Kyiv seeks a ceasefire on current lines plus security guarantees and a clear path to talks about territory.

The Alaska meeting turns diplomacy into a media moment, with Kyiv left out and a sense that decisions about Ukraine may be made without its input. That exclusion risks hollowing the idea that peace must be negotiated with all affected parties at the table. It could also complicate alliances in Europe, where leaders have pressed for Ukraine to have a strong voice in any settlement.

If a ceasefire arrives but surface concessions come with a larger loss of territory, Ukraine faces a tougher road to lasting security guarantees. Washington will be faced with balancing a desire to curb aggression against the risk of delivering a deal that surrenders leverage. The broader question is whether diplomacy can deliver durable stability or merely a pause that Moscow can exploit later.

Highlights

Diplomacy faces its hardest test when it must prove it can protect those who bear the cost of war.