Trump to Address Zelensky and European Leaders, Following Which He Plans to Discuss Ending the Ongoing Conflict with Putin during Their Encounter in Alaska
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to join a virtual meeting involving several European heads of state and government, NATO, and EU representatives, with the objective of discussing possible paths to peace negotiations, analyzing regional security issues, and disputed territorial claims regarding Ukraine.
The discussions come as U.S. President Donald Trump has actively pursued peace negotiations involving top leaders from Ukraine, Russia, and Europe. Trump held a summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and seven European leaders to coordinate U.S. and allied support for Ukraine and to prepare for peace discussions.
Trump then spoke directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, inviting him to negotiate face-to-face with Zelensky. However, Putin's response was cautious and noncommittal, with the Kremlin issuing a statement only about "exploring the possibility" of raising the level of representatives in future talks, effectively postponing substantive direct negotiations.
Russian rhetoric following the call remained hostile, reverting to threats and demands, and Moscow did not accept the invitation for a personal meeting between Putin and Zelensky. Secretary of State Marco Rubio supported Trump's approach, stating that the goal is a comprehensive peace deal, not just a ceasefire, and that the United States' unique position is to potentially bring Putin to the negotiating table.
Zelensky has rejected Trump's suggestion that Ukraine should cede territory to Russia as part of peace talks, maintaining firm on Ukraine's sovereignty. Meanwhile, talks about security guarantees are underway, with Zelensky discussing a $90 billion package and plans to formalize terms with allies within 10 days.
The virtual summit, scheduled for Wednesday, will also see the participation of U.S. Vice President JD Vance, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Council President António Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The leaders of Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Poland, and Finland will also attend the meeting.
U.S. President Donald Trump will hold a meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska. The European Union is also working on more military aid for Ukraine and supporting Ukraine's budget and accession to the bloc. Zelensky has emphasized that there can be no decisions about Ukraine's future without Ukraine's participation, and he has called on his allies to maintain sanctions against Russia.
The President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, stated that the European Union is working on new sanctions against Russia. Zelensky stated that Ukrainians will not cede their lands to the occupant, and new forms of pressure on Russia will also be explored during the virtual meeting.
- As peace negotiations continue to unfold among top leaders from Ukraine, Russia, and Europe, stakeholders are closely monitoring the average public sentiment towards different policy-and-legislation proposals related to war-and-conflicts in Ukraine.
- In general-news outlets, reports and analysis are regularly published on the evolving strategies of various parties, including the positions held by politicians during regional security discussions and disputed territorial claims involving Ukraine.
