At the Alaska summit, Putin scored a personal triumph, according to Zelensky's statement
In a significant development, a summit between the sitting US and Russian presidents is scheduled to take place in Alaska on Friday. The meeting comes as US President Trump seeks to broker an end to Russia's nearly three-and-a-half year war in Ukraine.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, encompassing the regions of Lugansk and Donetsk, has been a source of concern for European leaders, who are seeking to ensure respect for Kyiv's interests. The region has been under the control of self-declared republics backed by Russia since 2014.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed concern that Russia may put forward hard-line demands during the summit, potentially demanding Ukraine to cede swathes of territory. Historically, Russia's hard-line demands in such discussions have focused on the recognition of the self-declared independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, guarantees that Ukraine will not join NATO or other Western military alliances, special autonomous status for Donbas within Ukraine under terms favourable to Russia, and security guarantees preventing Western military presence near Russian borders.
However, without up-to-date specific sources or statements released in 2025, the precise demands expected at the current summit cannot be conclusively detailed.
In the midst of this, the Ukrainian army is engaged in "difficult" battles with Russian forces in the east, but denies Russia has a foothold near Dobropillia. The map published by Ukrainian battlefield monitor DeepState shows Russia made a double-pronged advance of approximately 10 kilometers (six miles) near Dobropillia. Russian attacks in the past hours have reportedly killed three people and wounded 12 others, including a child, according to Ukrainian police.
The Russian advance near Dobropillia threatens the largely destroyed town of Kostiantynivka, one of the last large urban areas in the Donetsk region still held by Ukraine. Ukrainian military groups reported that Russia is probing Ukrainian lines with small sabotage groups, describing battles as "complex, unpleasant and dynamic".
In a positive sign, Zelensky has received a "signal" from US envoy Steve Witkoff that Russia might agree to a ceasefire. Zelensky has ruled out withdrawing troops from Ukraine's eastern Donbas region as part of a peace deal. He stated that some of these Russian units have no equipment, only weapons in their hands. Some have already been found, some destroyed, some taken prisoner. The rest will be found and destroyed in the near future.
As the world watches, the stage is set for a crucial dialogue between the two superpowers, with the fate of Ukraine's Donbas region hanging in the balance. The international community will be closely watching the outcomes of this summit and its potential impact on the ongoing conflict.
- The international community, particularly European leaders, are closely monitoring the summit between the US and Russian presidents, given their concerns over Russia's hard-line demands in politics and war-and-conflicts, such as the recognition of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics and guarantees that Ukraine will not join NATO.
- Amidst the potential demands and concessions in the upcoming summit, the general news highlights the ongoing battles in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, with the Russian advance near Dobropillia threatening the largely destroyed town of Kostiantynivka, and the Ukrainian army denying a foothold for Russia near the area.
