What should we expect from Trump-Putin meeting?
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ITV News
27 minutes ago
- ITV News
As Europe's leaders head to Washington, Trump could shift to favouring Russia
They are travelling with a mood of collective concern — presidents, prime ministers, and a secretary general, descending on Washington today in a flotilla of flag-draped planes, uneasy that this is what it takes to help ensure their path towards a fair deal isn't thrown off course. As one European official told ITV News: "If we assume that Trump only hears the last person in the room, we should make sure that we are the last people in the room." For the United States, this is a moment of growing alignment — yes, alignment. But not with Britain, Germany, or France, as you might expect. Because, as European leaders travel to the White House with the transatlantic alliance on Ukraine sounding shaky - and their declarations of allegiance at times insincere - it's Washington and Moscow that emerged from Anchorage on Friday showing signs of agreement. Donald Trump is, in some ways, echoing Vladimir Putin's framing of the conflict at least as much as Volodymyr Zelenskyy's. And Putin has already set the trap: to portray Europeans and Ukrainians as the true obstacles to peace. On Friday, he warned Europe not to 'torpedo progress.' Yesterday, Kirill Dmitriev — a Kremlin negotiator and one of Putin's closest allies - went further, tweeting that 'European and British warmongers/saboteurs are in full panic mode. They should not stay in the way of Peace,' punctuating his message with a dove emoji. This was Russia draping itself in the robes of peacemaker, its critics cast as potential saboteurs. For European leaders, the danger isn't subtle - a narrative in which Putin gets to play statesman while they are painted as the wreckers. It's Donald Trump who Moscow hopes will buy that story. But what was agreed in Anchorage is still unclear, besides an agreement that Ukraine should be able to receive security guarantees like those it would receive if it was a member of Nato, the specifics are unclear. Trump himself was evasive on Friday: 'There's no deal until there's a deal.' What has since emerged is that Putin demanded Ukraine withdraw from Donbas — the Donetsk and Luhansk regions — as the price of ending the war, while offering a freeze along the rest of the frontline. Trump signalled willingness to back a plan that would see Russia handed not just occupied areas, but unoccupied Ukrainian territory too, in return for what he could present as peace. Whether Ukraine freezes the conflict or cedes land outright is more than a technical distinction; in practice, it is the difference between a country catching its breath or being permanently diminished. Last week, Trump assured Europeans that Moscow had made concessions which, it turned out, were never on the table. That ambiguity is exactly why Europeans are wary of Trump negotiating with Putin alone — and equally unwilling to leave Trump and Zelenskyy alone, mindful of the Oval Office humiliation in February when Trump berated the Ukrainian president in front of cameras. No European leader is prepared to risk a repeat of that scene. Meanwhile, Washington's tone has softened. Where the administration once threatened severe consequences if no ceasefire was reached, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that fresh measures would take time to bite and would only drive Russia from the table. The result: no new punishment for Putin, no clear cost for saying no. He left Alaska without agreeing to a ceasefire, but with a photo op, a red carpet, and a round of applause — prestige without compromise. It was against that backdrop that Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen appeared together yesterday. Their message was blunt: Donetsk will not be handed to Russia, because Putin has failed to take it in twelve years of fighting. Talks cannot take place while Russian missiles still fall — 'it's impossible to negotiate under the pressure of weapons,' Zelenskyy said. This was a clear attempt to fix the terms of debate before heading to Washington. Two kinds of unity now shape this moment. The anticlimax in Alaska revealed the American president drifting closer to the Russian one. Washington could now reveal another — Europe's leaders rallying behind Ukraine not as bystanders, but as counterweights.
The Independent
27 minutes ago
- The Independent
Marco Rubio denies Zelensky is being ‘bullied' by Trump amid European leaders meeting
Marco Rubio dismissed the "stupid media narrative" that Donald Trump would bully Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into a disadvantageous deal with Russia. Rubio clarified that European leaders attending the meeting with Zelensky were invited by Trump and are not present as "backup" against bullying. Trump recently held a nearly three-hour meeting with Russian President Putin in Anchorage to discuss the war in Ukraine, but no ceasefire agreement was reached. The article references a past contentious meeting in Washington D.C. where Trump accused Zelensky of gambling with "World War Three" and Vice President JD Vance questioned Zelensky's gratitude. Rubio refused to disclose any potential concessions Trump might seek from Russia, stating that revealing such details could jeopardise the negotiations.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Monday briefing: What's at stake for Ukrainians as Trump and Putin talk of ceding land in return for peace
Good morning. On Friday, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin met in Alaska to discuss the future of Ukraine, but there was no deal reached and no big questions answered. Trump appeared deferential to the Russian leader and now backs plans to hand over Ukrainian territory as part of a peace deal. Today he will meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders. In discussions about what a peace settlement would look like, 'land swaps' were represented as simple transactions. The fate of people appeared to be a casual afterthought. Trump and Putin are eager to embrace the idea that territory can be bought and sold like real estate, but Guardian reporting exposes the devastating part of this war: human loss. Last month casualties hit a three-year high, with more Ukrainian civilians killed than in any month since May 2022. Our writers have been documenting the escalating human cost of this war – whole communities eradicated, schools shut, cottages silent and people in towns near fighting exhausted by sleepless nights. For today's newsletter, I spoke to our senior international correspondent Luke Harding, who has just returned from four weeks in Ukraine, about what morale is like in these once tranquil villages now on the frontlines – and whether the Alaska summit changes anything for Ukraine. That's after the headlines. Gaza | Palestinians were gripped by fear and anxiety on Sunday after the Israeli military said it was preparing for the forcible displacement of a million people from Gaza City. Meanwhile tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv to call for an end to the war in Gaza. Scotland | The UK's first transgender judge has launched a case against the UK in the European court of human rights challenging the process that led to the supreme court's ruling on biological sex. Business | The bosses of Britain's largest listed companies took home record high pay packets for the third successive year, according to a report. Analysis found that the record set in the last financial year means the average FTSE 100 chief executive is now paid 122 times the salary of the average full-time UK worker. US news | Three people were killed and eight others wounded when multiple gunmen opened fire inside a crowded Brooklyn hookah lounge and restaurant early on Sunday morning, according to authorities. Weather | Hurricane Erin was downgraded to category 3 early on Sunday as its outer bands continued to lash the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico with heavy rains and tropical storm force winds. Luke Harding has been reporting from the Dnipropetrovsk region, which the Russians have penetrated for the first time in the last few weeks. An evacuation charity has been rescuing elderly and sick people from frontline villages swallowed up by fighting – they are usually the last to leave. 'It's about people, it's about homes, livelihoods, families, husbands, wives, children, grandparents, dogs, cats, chickens, vegetable gardens, and so on – this is what's being lost,' says Luke. 'Entire communities are being eradicated.' This monumental loss is encapsulated by the story of Valentyn Velykyi, a 70-year-old man who lived in the small agricultural village of Maliyivka in central-eastern Ukraine. He knew everyone in his village. Once Russian troops arrived, the village's 300-odd residents fled, except Velykyi – until a missile destroyed his house and he no longer had a home to go to. People in villages all over Ukraine have similar stories. 'There's something biblical about it,' says Luke. 'You go to these places and you see incongruously blooming vigorous gardens with flowers and marrows and apple trees where apples are falling and lying on the wayside, next to benches where people used to sit and gossip with their neighbours.' Primary schools are closed, shops are shut up, and people have fled. 'It's the extermination of a way of life – that's what it is. It's not real estate. It's human estate.' Luke says Putin is indifferent to what happens in these areas – his priority is for them to be part of Russia. For many civilians in areas under occupation by Russia, ceding control in a peace deal would mean saying goodbye to their homes for ever. As a foreign correspondent, Luke would go to the frontline and then return to Kyiv to write his reports, but now Kyiv is being targeted by Russian drones almost every night. 'It's really hard to sleep, and when you go out for your coffee in the morning, everybody looks exhausted.' What do ordinary Ukrainians think about Russia? A poll from 2014 found that 26% of Ukrainians living in the east of the country thought Russia and Ukraine should unite as a single state. But Luke says that now – apart from a very few older people – everybody supports Ukraine and hates Russia. Since the war, Ukraine has also become more European (last month protests erupted against weakening the powers of anti-corruption agencies). 'The great irony of this war is that Putin wants to de-Ukrainise Ukraine – he wants to make it disappear, roll it back into Russia.' But he's done the opposite, says Luke, who has been travelling to Ukraine since 2007. 'Ukraine has become more Ukrainian since I've been going there.' Shaun Walker, meanwhile, has been reporting from the city of Zaporizhzhia, an industrial hub in south-east Ukraine that has been under near-constant attack from missiles and drones. Plenty of people here and in other Ukrainian towns close to the frontline are ready for Kyiv to sign a peace deal – even an imperfect one – if it means the attacks will stop. But many others disagree, because they know first-hand what it means to give Russia control over Ukrainian territory: arrests, disappearances and the erasure of anything Ukrainian. What does the future hold for Ukrainians? Today European leaders will join Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in the White House for a meeting with Donald Trump in an effort to push back on a US-endorsed 'peace plan'. Ukrainians understand Russia very well. They speak both languages, and they don't trust Putin, who has 'violated every previous agreement he's signed', says Luke. Giving over land, they believe, would simply make it easier for him to advance further. 'People understand that a ceasefire would last five minutes, five days, maybe a maximum of five months, and then Putin would continue because his goal is unchanged – which is to destroy Ukraine entirely and turn it into Russia, which he considers it to be,' says Luke. 'And practically the only person on the planet who doesn't seem to understand this is Donald Trump.' The Russian strategy is to be deliberately chaotic – targeting different areas all across the country. Fighting has increased on all fronts, with waves of kamikaze drones and ballistic missiles. 'It looks pretty bleak insofar as the Russians will continue to push forward. They have numerical advantages in terms of troops, machinery, fibre-optic drones,' he says. 'I just don't see that ending, because the Russians think they're winning … There's no incentive for the Russians to stop, and the Americans are not making the Russians stop. 'Putin's lobbying campaign on Trump behind the scenes has been extremely effective. Trump has basically shifted position in a way that Ukraine and Europe hoped he wouldn't. This has happened in two important ways: one, he now says there needs to be a comprehensive peace deal and then a ceasefire [which is the Russian position]; and two, sources suggest he has embraced the Russian land swap plan, which is that Russia gets full control of Donetsk and Luhansk as a condition for ending the war. 'What we'll see over the next few weeks is pressure ratcheted up on Ukraine to go along with this 'ceasefire plan' without very many meaningful guarantees from America,' says Luke. 'It's going to be a stormy and difficult time ahead. And what is abundantly clear – post Alaska – is that this war will continue.' What about the fate of Ukrainians elsewhere? There are nearly seven million Ukrainian refugees globally, with more than 200,000 in the UK. Generally, refugees have been treated well – support for Ukraine is not a party-political issue in the UK. But there have been issues with continued housing – for example, last weekend a Ukrainian mum with two children told Luke she was being kicked out of her council flat. 'Many people opened their homes to Ukrainian refugees three and a half years ago, and now many have had to move on,' he says. Some have gone back to Ukraine. A billion-pound budget was awarded to councils across England to help Ukrainian refugees find accommodation. Yet £327m has remained unused, despite thousands of Ukrainian refugees being homeless. 'It's fine to say, 'Oh, we're saving it for a rainy day,' but people are struggling now,' says reporter Diane Taylor, who worked on the investigation, published this morning. While organisations such as the Ukrainian Institute London have offered free language classes, learning English remains a barrier for many refugees seeking accommodation, especially when trying to access private rented housing. Diane stressed how 'if you can speak the language, it makes life easier, even for something as unimportant as a holiday'. Experts, meanwhile, say council support 'is often a postcode lottery'. Councils have a great deal of discretion over the funds, and while many have received assistance, more and more are struggling. The problem for Ukraine is that the longer the war goes on, the less likely people are to return. 'Mostly we're talking about women and kids,' says Luke. 'The ones in the UK are in British schools, they've made friends – they're integrating. The longer the war continues, the greater the likelihood they become British.' Ukrainians are weary but defiant. 'They want the fighting to stop, they want the bombs to stop falling. But they don't want to hand over their homes, communities, jobs, the places where they fell in love, to the Russian enemy.' Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Additional writing by Saranka Maheswaran. England has an international reputation for endless rain and yet it appears the unthinkable is happening – we're running out of water. Here's a great read from Helena Horton on why our reservoirs are so low. Phoebe Hundreds of people have been arrested for taking part in demonstrations in support for the banned group Palestine Action. Half of those recently arrested were 60 or over. The Guardian interviewed those who took part for this incredibly beautiful infographic. Aamna This piece is not for the squeamish but it's a fascinating look inside the world of men who are so desperate to be taller they will sustain medieval torture for the privilege. Phoebe Simon Hattenstone recalls Princess Andre as a baby in the arms of her mother, Katie Price, who was then married to Princess's father, Peter Andre. As she turns 18 and launches her reality TV career, the interview deftly examines whether she will fall into the same traps of fame as her parents. Aamna I'm curious about Zack Polanski's brand of 'eco-populism' and interested to see he is starting to pull away from his more traditional Green party competitors – seems like change could be afoot. Phoebe Football | A goalkeeping error from Manchester United's Altay Bayindir allowed Riccardo Calafiori to score the winner at Old Trafford for Arsenal in the opening weekend of the Premier League. Tennis | Jannik Sinner, the top seed and defending champion, ended the French qualifier Térence Atmane's dream run at the Cincinnati Open with a two-set win to reach the final of the US Open warm-up event. Athletics | Long-distance runner Evie Parts has sued the NCAA and Swarthmore College as well as members of its athletic department, saying they illegally removed her from the track team because she is transgender. 'UK and EU at Zelenskyy's side for talks with Trump' is the Guardian's lead story headline while the Mirror says 'Ukraine war showdown … Europe takes a stand' and the Telegraph runs with 'Europe tells Trump: Don't give in to Putin'. Similar in the i paper – 'Europe unites for Zelensky's peace mission in Washington' – and in the Financial Times: 'Zelensky and European allies seek security guarantees in Trump talks'. The Mail calls it 'D-day at the White House' and the Times has 'Zelensky wants security guarantees before a deal'. A change of subject courtesy of the Metro: ''Outrageous' rail fares rises' while the Express splashes with 'Britain's 10 million junk food addicts'. Stephen Miller, Trump's immigration mastermind What is driving the architect of Donald Trump's immigration policy? With Jean Guerrero A bit of good news to remind you that the world's not all bad Channel 5 is reviving Play for Today, the influential BBC anthology drama series that ran from 1970 to 1984 and became known for tackling social issues and launching major careers. The new series aims to give opportunities to creatives from lower-income backgrounds, while continuing its tradition of politically charged storytelling. The first few productions explore themes such as failing schools, historical abuse and ageing. Channel 5's chief content officer, Ben Frow, said: 'The original Play For Today helped establish the careers of some of Britain's best writers, directors and producers, so we want to do the same.' Sign up here for a weekly roundup of The Upside, sent to you every Sunday And finally, the Guardian's puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow. Quick crossword Cryptic crossword Wordiply
