Trump speaks with Zelenskyy, European leaders ahead of Putin meeting in Alaska

By Caroline Boda
The Center Square

President Donald Trump met virtually with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European leaders before flying to Alaska for a U.S.-Russia bilateral meeting Friday.

European leaders outlined five principles during the emergency summit, including that Ukraine must be involved in future talks with Putin and that no Ukrainian territory will be ceded to Russia in exchange for a ceasefire.

Trump and Putin are set to meet in Anchorage on Friday to continue negotiations to end Russia’s three-year military involvement in Ukraine. Trump originally made Zelenskyy’s presence a condition for Friday’s meeting but later conceded when Putin refused to meet if Kyiv participated.

“The war is happening in Europe, and Ukraine is an integral part of Europe,” Zelenskyy said last week. “Europe must be a participant in the relevant processes.”

Zelenskyy maintained this stance Wednesday after Trump moved forward with a U.S.-Russia bilateral meeting without him, arguing that “what concerns Ukraine must be discussed with Ukraine.”

On Wednesday, Zelenskyy told Trump that “Putin is bluffing” by saying sanctions against Moscow will not be effective in pressuring him into a ceasefire.

The European Union has imposed heavy sanctions on Russia for its military involvement in Ukraine. The U.S. followed suit last month by shortening the 50-day window it gave Russia to broker a peace deal with Ukraine before it faces sanctions.

Putin has reportedly suggested Russian occupation of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region as part of a ceasefire deal. Zelenskyy rejected this proposal and maintained Wednesday that he will not surrender any territory to Moscow in a peace deal.

“[My position] hasn’t changed because it’s based on the Ukrainian constitution and the Ukrainian constitution hasn’t changed,” Zelenskyy said during a news conference after the virtual meeting.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hosted Zelenskyy in Berlin for the call. During the post-meeting news conference, Merz said Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine “opened the wounds of European separation again,” referencing European conflict during World War II.

Trump has expressed waning optimism for a peace deal with Russia in recent weeks, calling Putin “cold” and repeatedly stating his disappointment in Putin’s empty assurances to work out an end to the war in Ukraine.

When speaking about the upcoming meeting with Putin during a press conference Monday, Trump said that “probably in the first two minutes I’ll know exactly whether or not a deal can get done.” He also said he intends to set up a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin after Friday’s talks and will make it a trilateral meeting if necessary.