A week of intense diplomatic maneuvering is underway after President Donald Trump announced a surprise meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, set for Friday. While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not on the official schedule, the White House has not ruled out the possibility of including him in follow-up discussions, according to two sources familiar with planning.
A senior White House official told CNN that any Zelensky participation would likely occur after the Trump-Putin talks. Trump remains “open to a trilateral summit,” the official said, but Friday’s meeting is still being planned as a bilateral session at Putin’s request.
The announcement has rattled European leaders, who are urgently trying to ensure that Ukraine’s voice is not excluded from discussions over ending the war. On Saturday, several European heads of state met with Vice President JD Vance at the UK Foreign Secretary’s country residence to present a unified position: no peace deal should proceed without Ukraine’s involvement, and any talks must start with a ceasefire.
Their joint statement — signed by leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, the UK, Finland, and the European Union — welcomed Trump’s push to “stop the killing” but underscored that “international borders must not be changed by force” and that the “current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations.” The statement also called for “robust and credible security guarantees” for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Zelensky publicly endorsed the European position, saying he “appreciates and fully supports” the statement. In a weekend address, he emphasized that Ukraine’s “freedom of choice over its own destiny” must be respected.
Behind the scenes, Western officials are scrambling to get clarity on Putin’s proposal, reportedly delivered Wednesday to US envoy Steve Witkoff. European sources say it would require Ukraine to cede the entire eastern Donbas region — territory Russia partially occupies — but the status of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia remains unclear.
Trump has hinted at possible “territory swaps,” but his remarks have fueled concern in Kyiv and European capitals that Washington might be open to a deal involving Ukrainian concessions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Witkoff have held multiple follow-up calls with European counterparts to discuss the outlines of a potential ceasefire and negotiation framework.
Vance’s Saturday meeting, which included Ukrainian representatives and a virtual appearance by Witkoff, was aimed at calming those concerns. A US official described the talks as making “significant progress,” but acknowledged it is still uncertain whether Europe and Ukraine will fully support the approach before the Alaska summit.
For now, the geopolitical stakes remain high. European leaders are pushing for clear terms before Friday, Ukraine is lobbying for a seat at the table, and the White House is leaving its options open on Zelensky’s role — even as Putin prepares to meet Trump one-on-one in America’s northernmost state.