Trump and Putin set for Alaska showdown as sidelined Zelensky waits to discover Ukraine's fate: Live updates
The American and Russian presidents are coming face-to-face for the first time in six years for talks on how to end the conflict in Eastern Europe although Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky is notably sidelined.
Speaking in the Oval Office last night, Trump insisted Putin 'is not going to mess around with me' as he aims to resolve the war which he promised would end within 24 hours on his return to the White House.
The world leaders will meet later today at the Elmendorf Air Force Base, the largest US military installation in Alaska, and a news conference could follow.
10:32
Trump and Putin set for historic Alaska summit
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage on what is an historic day as Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin meet in Alaska for a high-stakes summit which may signal the outcome of the three-year war between Russia and Ukraine.
After insisting he could bring a swift resolution to the conflict upon re-entering the White House in January this year, Trump will hope to secure a peace agreement with the Russian leader.
But one notable absentee from today's talks in Anchorage is Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky who will be waiting nervously next to a phone tonight to hear the outcome.
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The Independent
23 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ukraine needs long-term security guarantees, Taoiseach says
International borders must not be changed by force, the Taoiseach has said, ahead of a meeting between the presidents of the United States and Ukraine. Micheal Martin attended a virtual leaders' meeting of the so-called 'coalition of the willing' in support of Ukraine on Sunday. The call was convened by Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. On Monday, Volodymyr Zelensky is meeting Donald Trump with several EU leaders, including Sir Keir, also travelling to Washington DC in a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian president. Mr Martin, who will not be in Washington, said he had assured Mr Zelensky on Sunday that Ireland will 'continue to steadfastly support Ukraine'. EU leaders have agreed that sanctions and wider economic measures 'will be reinforced' if Russia continues its military action. The Taoiseach also said that he believes Ukraine needs 'long-term security guarantees'. Speaking after Sunday's online conference, Mr Martin said: 'I welcomed the opportunity to join other European leaders today to discuss developments on ending the war in Ukraine. 'We had a very useful engagement with President Zelensky as he prepares to meet with President Trump tomorrow in Washington. 'I welcome the initiative by President Trump to seek the ending of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Ireland, together with our European partners, continues to contribute to these efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.' The meeting of European leaders follows the US president's summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. Mr Martin said it is 'essential that Ukraine is a full participant' in any discussions regarding its future. He said: 'I therefore welcome that President Zelensky will meet with President Trump in Washington tomorrow, together with other European leaders. Mr Martin said he stressed that international law and principles of independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity need to be respected for security in the region. 'It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory. International borders must not be changed by force. 'I fully agree that Ukraine needs strong, credible, long-term security guarantees. This will mean sustained support from Europe, the United States and other partners. 'Ireland stands ready to play our part. Earlier this year we committed to providing non-lethal military support to Ukraine and we will look to do more. 'At today's meeting, I also reiterated Ireland's readiness to contribute to any peacekeeping force that is in line with the UN Charter.' The Taoiseach said Ireland will also continue to support Ukraine's EU membership ambitions, adding that Russia 'cannot have a veto' on the matter. 'Our joint efforts for peace should be combined with firm and co-ordinated pressure on Russia to agree to a ceasefire and engage seriously with negotiations on a just and lasting peace. 'We agreed today that sanctions and wider economic measures will be reinforced if Russia does not stop the killing. 'The human dimension and accountability must also be at the centre of a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. 'Russia must urgently return Ukrainian children who they have abducted as well as prisoners of war and civilians being held unlawfully.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Zelensky says giving up land for peace could be 'impossible' as Trump rages at 'fake news' over his showdown with Putin - as Europe's leaders head to the White House
Volodymyr Zelensky has said giving up land for peace in a future agreement with Russia could be 'impossible'. Speaking in Brussels today, the Ukrainian president insisted that his country's constitution made it 'impossible to give up territory or trade land'. But he went on to say: 'Since the territorial issue is so important, it should be discussed only by the leaders of Ukraine and Russia at a trilateral meeting.' 'We need real negotiations, which means we can start where the front line is now,' Zelensky said, adding that European leaders supported this. It comes as US president Donald Trump appears poised to urge the Ukrainian leader to agree to a Russian land grab of his country's territory. Russian president Vladimir Putin is said to have demanded full control of Donetsk and Luhansk - two occupied Ukrainian regions - as a condition for ending the war. Zelensky was speaking ahead of a virtual meeting with European leaders and before he travels to Washington to meet with Donald Trump following the US leader's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. He reiterated his position that it was necessary to establish a ceasefire in order to then negotiate a final deal. Russian president Vladimir Putin is said to have demanded full control of Donetsk and Luhansk - two occupied Ukrainian regions - as a condition for ending the war when he met Trump on Friday 'It's important that Washington is with us,' the Ukrainian leader said. He will be accompanied by several European allies, including Keir Starmer, for Monday's talks with Trump. Zelensky said that Ukraine did not yet know all the demands made by Putin at the meeting with Trump on Friday, adding that it would take a long time to go over them - and that this was not possible under 'the pressure of weapons'. Meanwhile, the world is still reeling from Trump's meeting with Putin in Alaska, where he rolled out the red carpet for the war-mongering tyrant. Most international commentators believe the negotiations were a win for Putin, with the media noticing he appeared energetic and satisfied by how the summit had gone. Trump, on the other hand, appeared uncharacteristically deflated and seemed disheartened that the famed deal-maker was not able to get an agreement together. But the US President has hit back at his critics, posting on his social media platform Truth Social on Sunday morning: 'It's incredible how the Fake News violently distorts the TRUTH when it comes to me. 'There is NOTHING I can say or do that would lead them to write or report honestly about me. I had a great meeting in Alaska on Biden's stupid War, a war that should have never happened!!!' Only minutes later, he posted: 'If I got Russia to give up Moscow as part of the Deal, the Fake News, and their PARTNER, the Radical Left Democrats, would say I made a terrible mistake and a very bad deal. Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin shake hands after a joint press conference following the US-Russia summit on Ukraine at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday 'That's why they are the FAKE NEWS! Also, they should talk about the 6 WARS, etc., I JUST STOPPED!!! MAGA.' It comes as Trump envoy Steve Witkoff gave an interview with CNN where he discussed the issue of territory - and specifically of the five regions he described as always having been the 'crux of the deal'. Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014 while the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson were annexed after referendums internationally viewed as shams in 2022. 'The Russians made some concessions at the table with regard to all five of those regions,' Witkoff said today. He added that the Donetsk region constitutes an 'important discussion' - and one which he said will happen tomorrow. The Donbas is predominantly Russian-speaking, and after Russia snatched Crimea in 2014, its proxy forces have gained a foothold there in a long-running war. Zelensky, who has rejected Putin's demands that Kyiv withdraw from the remaining 30 per cent of Donetsk that it still controls, played down the Russian advances, saying on X that his forces were 'countering' and 'increasing the pressure' on the 'occupier'. 'The Russian army continues to suffer significant losses in its attempts to secure more favourable political positions for the Russian leadership at the meeting in Alaska. We understand this plan and are informing our partners about the real situation,' he said. Zelensky's statement comes as negotiations to end the war continue to mount. Sir Keir Starmer, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, German chancellor Friedrich Merz and France's Emmanuel Macron will travel to Washington tomorrow for peace talks at the White House. Ms Von der Leyen said 'at the request of President Zelensky, I will join the meeting with President Trump and other European leaders in the White House tomorrow.' Other European leaders confirming they will go tomorrow included Finnish president Alexander Stubb, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte. Mr Zelensky's Oval Office rendezvous follows Western allies holding a 'coalition of the willing' video call at 2pm earlier today, hosted by Sir Keir, Mr Macron and Mr Merz. Mr Trump is said to be inclined to support the plan, and will speak to Mr Zelensky about it when they meet in the Oval Office. The European leaders may also fear a repeat of Mr Zelensky's last visit to the White House at the end of February. The tumultuous spat resulted in a souring of relations between the US and Ukraine, including a temporary cut off of American aid for the war effort. Downing Street insisted Sir Keir and other allies stand ready to support the next phase of talks to end the war. A statement from No 10 said: 'At the meeting that will take place at the White House tomorrow, the Prime Minister, with other European partners, stands ready to support this next phase of further talks and will reaffirm that his backing for Ukraine will continue as long as it takes.' Yesterday, Sir Keir commended Mr Trump for bringing the conflict 'closer than ever' to an end. Mr Trump appeared to change his position on how to end the war in Ukraine following his meeting with the Russian president on Friday. Following the Alaska summit, the American leader suggested he wants to move straight to a full peace deal, rather than negotiating a ceasefire first. The shift appears to echo the Russians' refusal to agree to ceasefire before engaging in peace talks. Meanwhile Zelensky on Sunday rejected the idea of Russia offering his country security guarantees, after US and EU officials promoted the possibility. White House envoy Steve Witkoff earlier said Trump and his Russian counterpart Putin agreed to 'robust security guarantees' for Ukraine during a meeting in Alaska on Friday. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday hailed the proposal as an offer of NATO-style security guarantees from the United States. 'We welcome President Trump's willingness to contribute to (NATO) Article 5-like security guarantees for Ukraine, and the coalition of the willing, including the European Union, is ready to do its share,' von der Leyen said. Zelensky also welcomed the idea of US security guarantees - but was less positive about Russia's intentions. 'What President Trump said about security guarantees is much more important to me than Putin's thoughts, because Putin will not give any security guarantees,' he told a press conference in Brussels alongside von der Leyen. 'Security means a strong army, which only Ukraine can provide. I believe that only Europe can finance this army.' Von der Leyen and Zelensky also shared their thoughts on a possible meeting between Trump, Putin and the Ukrainian leader. 'So far, Russia gives no sign that the trilateral will happen and if Russia refuses, then new sanctions must follow,' Zelensky said.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Global markets face shaky week ahead as US pressure mounts on Ukraine
LONDON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Defence stocks and energy markets are likely to be in focus this week, as European leaders rushed to back Ukraine in talks with U.S. President Donald Trump that may pressure Kyiv to accept a peace deal favouring Russia. Investors are watching for signs that the U.S. may move closer to Russia in a bid to exploit vast, untapped Arctic energy resources, in a major geopolitical shift that piles pressure on Europe to rapidly boost defence spending. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended their weekend summit in Alaska without securing a Ukraine ceasefire agreement, with the U.S. President then saying he now wanted a rapid peace deal that Kyiv should accept. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is travelling to Washington on Monday for talks that leaders of nations including Germany, the UK and France will now join. "Trump seems inclined to reduce or even end US support for Ukraine. Putin got him interested in business deals," Berenberg Chief Economist Holger Schmieding said in a note to clients. "As a result, the US may lift its sanctions on Russia and invest in Russia instead," he added. "Europe will have to spend a lot more for its own defence." Investors have bet on that outcome since February 2022, driving a supercharged rally in European aerospace and defence stocks (.SXPARO), opens new tab with gains of over 600% for Leonardo ( opens new tab and 1,500% for Germany's Rheinmetall ( opens new tab. The euro has rallied 13% against the dollar this year and traded at about $1.17 on Friday. Bank of America strategist Michael Hartnett highlighted the potential for U.S.-Russia Arctic drilling projects to exploit 15% of the world's undiscovered oil and 30% of the world's undiscovered natural gas, resulting in a deep energy bear market. Brent crude, which dropped more than 1% to near $66 a barrel, on Friday, was still priced for a Ukraine peace deal, Hartnett cautioned, while Trump wanted lower energy prices for U.S. consumers . Ukraine's government bonds - key mood indicators - rallied when news of the summit emerged earlier this month but have stalled at a still-distressed 55 cents per dollar. "I would think they will be a bit weaker following the recent strength as the mood seems to favour Russia following Friday's summit," Aegon Asset Management head of emerging market debt Jeff Grills said.
