President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are set to participate in a virtual summit on Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key European allies, confirmed by U.S. officials. This meeting comes ahead of the highly anticipated in-person summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin scheduled for Friday in Anchorage, Alaska.
Zelenskyy recently revealed that during a phone call last week involving Trump, White House adviser Steve Witkoff, and several European leaders, there were hopeful indications that Russia might be signaling a willingness to take initial steps toward a ceasefire. Zelenskyy noted that this was the first such hopeful signal from the Russian side, but emphasized that no specific demands or concrete proposals were shared by the U.S. during these discussions. He also conveyed uncertainty about what Putin communicated with Witkoff during that call.
Zelenskyy’s Take
The Ukrainian president mentioned that since he and Trump have already met, it would be logical for the Trump-Putin meeting to occur next, potentially followed by a trilateral discussion including all three leaders. Despite these diplomatic efforts, Zelenskyy warned that Putin is preparing for further offensive operations on the battlefield, even as the peace summit approaches. Russian forces reportedly have made significant advances recently, including breaking through Ukrainian defenses near key eastern cities, raising concerns that Moscow is positioning for continued military pressure rather than peace.
Zelenskyy stressed that Russia’s demands—such as ceding territory, restricting Ukraine’s military capabilities, and permanent exclusion from NATO—amount to an attempted partition of Ukraine, which Kyiv rejects outright. He reaffirmed Ukraine’s steadfast position not to relinquish land, abandon NATO aspirations, or accept limits on its armed forces.
Trump’s Feel Out with Putin
Meanwhile, Trump expressed confidence in his deal-making skills, stating that within the first few minutes of the meeting, he would know whether an agreement could be reached. The White House has indicated that Ukrainian officials are not expected to attend the Alaska summit, though the situation remains fluid.
Ahead of the meeting, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has organized a series of virtual talks starting with European leaders, followed by Zelenskyy’s call with Trump and Vice President Vance. These talks aim to advocate for Ukraine’s interests and ensure that European and Ukrainian perspectives are included in discussions about ending the conflict.
Trump has described the upcoming summit with the Russian leader in Alaska as “a feel-out meeting” to gauge whether Putin is serious about ending the conflict. But he has unsettled European allies by suggesting Ukraine will have to give up some Russian-held territory and by floating the idea of land swaps, without specifying what Moscow might surrender. European governments have insisted Ukraine must be part of any peace negotiations, warning that excluding Kyiv could benefit Moscow.
On Monday, Trump declined to commit to pushing for Zelenskyy’s participation in his talks with Putin, saying a meeting between himself, Putin and Zelenskyy could be arranged afterwards.
Battlefield Realities
Even as diplomatic channels remain active, the situation on the battlefield shows no signs of easing. Russian forces continue to pound Ukrainian positions with precision drone and missile strikes, driving a fierce summer offensive. According to Ukraine’s General Staff, there were 165 recorded clashes with Russian troops in the past 24 hours, with the most intense fighting concentrated in the Pokrovsk, Novopavlivka, and Lyman sectors.
Kyiv’s defenses are still under pressure, prompting evacuations from Bilozerske. The military tracking group DeepState reports that Russian units have pushed forward in Nikanorivka, Shcherbynivka, and near Petrivka in the Donetsk region. Cautious about Moscow’s real objectives, President Zelenskyy’s administration continues to call for unrelenting international pressure to secure a genuine and lasting peace.
