Ukraine faces high stakes ahead of alaska summit

Zelenskyy meets Britain’s leaders in London as Washington prepares for a pivotal US Russia talks in Alaska.

Ukraine faces high stakes ahead of alaska summit

Zelenskyy met British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Thursday, a day before an anticipated Alaska summit between the United States and Russia. He said the discussions covered expectations for the meeting in Alaska and possible prospects, with a focus on security guarantees that could make peace durable if Russia agrees to stop the killings and engage in true diplomacy. The Ukrainian leader also stressed the need for a coalition of willing partners to back credible security formats. Earlier, Zelenskyy spoke in Berlin with President Trump and several European leaders, who signaled the goal of achieving a ceasefire in Ukraine during the Alaska talks. Putin presided over a leadership meeting in Russia to prepare for the Alaska discussions, signaling a willingness to discuss the negotiation process and the current stage of talks with Ukraine.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the Alaska meeting between Trump and Putin would begin around 11:30 a.m. local time on Friday, with the main topic likely the war in Ukraine and broader economic cooperation. Russia will send a five-member delegation, including Lavrov, Belousov, Kirill Dmitriev of the RDIF, and Anton Siluanov, while the United States will also assemble a five-member team. European leaders have warned that any final agreement could leave Ukraine and Europe at risk if security guarantees are not robust. Some leaders, like French President Macron and German Chancellor Merz, praised a recent video conference with Trump as constructive, while others remain wary of concessions that might change borders or weaken Kyiv’s position. Civilians in Ukraine face ongoing strikes, with casualties reported in Sumy and Kherson regions, and reports of a Ukrainian drone attack on a Russian oil refinery in Volgograd region. The day’s developments underscore the complexity of aligning Western security commitments with a possible peace deal that satisfies Kyiv’s insistence on territorial integrity.

The Alaska summit sits at the crossroads of diplomacy and leverage. Washington and Moscow face pressure to show concrete results while Western allies balance hopes for a ceasefire with the risk of giving Moscow room to maneuver. Kyiv remains adamant that any peace must include durable security guarantees and respect for sovereign borders, a stance that could constrain Western flexibility in future negotiations. The talks also expose a perennial tension in alliance politics: how to maintain unity among partners while backing Ukraine without provoking a staircase to greater escalation. Public skepticism among Ukrainians and mixed European signals suggest that even if a deal emerges, it will be judged by its durability and by whether it can withstand future Russian pressure.

As the war persists, the Alaska meeting could redefine what Western support looks like in practice. The risk is not only a fragile ceasefire but a broader political bargain that may delay decisive action on Ukraine’s security needs. The coming days will test whether diplomacy can translate into lasting protection for Ukraine and a stable European security order.

Highlights

The path to peace will keep moving, one meeting at a time.