Approaching the Alaska summit: Trump issues Putin a warning
As the US-Russia summit approaches, Europe and Ukraine have expressed their concerns and demands to US President Donald Trump.
The summit, scheduled to take place on Friday at the US Air Force base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, will see President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin discuss the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
Among the key demands from Europe and Ukraine is a firm stance supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. They urge President Trump to oppose Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its involvement in Eastern Ukraine.
Another demand is the continuation of economic sanctions imposed on Russia as a response to its actions in Ukraine. These sanctions are seen as critical leverage to pressure Russia to de-escalate the conflict.
European allies also expect the US to reinforce its commitment to NATO and to continue supporting military aid and joint defense efforts to deter further Russian aggression.
Both Europe and Ukraine seek US leadership in pushing for continued diplomatic efforts, such as the Minsk agreements, aiming for a ceasefire and a peaceful resolution to the conflict without conceding Ukrainian territorial claims.
There is a concern that President Trump might legitimize Russian territorial gains either through rhetoric or agreements. The demand is clear that no such recognition or concessions be made in the summit.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has demanded that fundamental European and Ukrainian security interests must be protected during the summit. Among the demands listed by Merz are that Ukraine must be present at any follow-up meeting, there must be a ceasefire before negotiations, and any discussion of territorial issues must be based on the current front lines.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj has emphasized that peace cannot be achieved without Ukraine, and negotiations can only succeed during a ceasefire. Selenskyj joined a video conference of the Coalition of the Willing with around 20 countries, including the UK, France, Italy, Poland, Australia, and Japan, to discuss the situation.
The airport in Volgograd suspended operations around midnight local time due to security concerns, possibly indicating detected Ukrainian drones. Meanwhile, air raid alerts were sounded over eastern parts of Ukraine late Wednesday evening due to detected Russian drones.
Russia appears to have reduced its nightly attacks since the meeting with Trump was announced. However, Ukrainian warning apps reported rocket attacks on the region of Chernihiv north of Kyiv.
Trump has warned Putin of "very serious consequences" if he doesn't agree to end the war, but has not yet followed through on increasing pressure on Putin. Trump floated the prospect of a meeting between Zelensky and Putin, but wants to wait and see how his summit with Putin unfolds.
It is important to note that Alaska was part of Russia until the 19th century, when it was sold to the US by the Tsarist regime. Putin can fly directly to this remote region, with Russia and the US separated only by the Bering Strait.
The German government expects Trump to brief Zelensky and key European partners about the results of the summit on Friday evening or Saturday morning. As the summit approaches, the eyes of the world are on Alaska, hoping for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict.
The summit, scheduled to take place on Friday, will likely discuss the ongoing Ukraine conflict, with Europe and Ukraine urging President Trump to maintain economic sanctions imposed on Russia, seen as critical leverage for de-escalation. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz demands that the summit protects fundamental European and Ukrainian security interests, including Ukraine's presence at any follow-up meeting and a ceasefire before negotiations.
