The Irish Independent's View: Peace talks without Ukraine at the table is not a legitimate solution, nor is it democratic
It cannot be assumed Mr Trump was just testing opposition to the plan. After a wave of diplomatic objections, the White House was only suggesting Mr Zelensky might be admitted to trilateral talks –but the summit between Putin and the US president was to go ahead. Thus the Russian leader has already achieved some significant political wins.
He has secured a meeting with President Trump on US soil, without having to call a ceasefire in a war in which thousands are being killed as each year passes.
The fact that the meeting is taking place in Alaska – sold to the US by the Russians 150 years ago for $7m – is also rich in symbolism. It signals borders are just lines on a piece of paper that can be changed by whoever has the power.
Those who cannot afford the price, cannot complain their title is taken away from over their heads. So naturally, EU leaders have reacted with grave concern. Rallying behind Mr Zelensky, they are insisting he must be included in any talks on the future of his country. But despite their protest, Mr Trump has merely signalled he is prepared to hold a meeting in which the Ukrainian leader is in attendance.
But there is no confirmation it will take place, or that Putin will agree.
This once again plays into the hands of the Russian leader. With Russia massacring Ukrainians daily, Mr Trump has spoken of the 'swapping of territories' being on the agenda.
Neither country has the right to ignore the government of an independent sovereign state, and lay claim to its lands. That such a conversation could even be taking place will send a shiver down the spines of all who respect a rules-based international order.
It is reported that Washington is working to persuade Europe to support an agreement that would see Moscow make major gains – securing the Donbas region and the Crimean Peninsula.
Brussels recognises that once again, all the pressure is being piled on Kyiv, while the aggressor is being rewarded. After an EU meeting at the weekend (which included the UK), a joint statement was issued, saying: 'The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine.' Putin simply exploits photo-ops to bolster his prestige and power. One remembers the pomp and circumstance of his high-profile meeting with US president Joe Biden in 2021. Just eight months later, Russia invaded Ukraine.
A trap is only a trap if you don't know about it. Should Mr Trump willingly take the bait, and Ukraine be thrown under the bus, Champagne corks will surely pop in the Kremlin, and an emboldened Moscow will eye Europe, as it strategises its next moves.
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Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
Russian forces make sudden thrust in eastern Ukraine ahead of Putin-Trump summit later this week
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The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Raging Russia accuses Britain of trying to SABOTAGE Trump & Putin talks after Starmer warns Don ‘don't trust' Vlad
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Advertisement 7 An explosion of a drone lights up the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike Credit: Reuters 7 Ukrainian soldiers of 43rd artillery brigade fire self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions Credit: AP 7 US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a meeting in 2017 Credit: AFP 7 Sir Keir Starmer has warned not to 'trust' Putin Credit: EPA But the Kremlin has hit out at Britain, accusing it of trying to disrupt the peace talks after Sir Keir Starmer warned the Russian leader cannot be "trusted". The Russian embassy in London slammed No10 and said: "We note the ongoing attempts by London and some of its partners to disrupt a peace resolution of the conflict by eliminating its root causes. "This is clearly demonstrated by the statements and activity developed by the British leadership in the run-up to the Russian-American summit in Alaska." Sir Keir backed Trump's plans but urged to be more caution. Advertisement The PM's official spokesman said: "Never trust President Putin as far as you could throw him, but we obviously will support Ukraine. "Any ceasefire cannot just be an opportunity for President Putin to go away, re-arm, restrengthen, and then go again." Trump said on August 8 that he hopes to hold a meeting with Putin in Alaska on August 15. Washington and Moscow are said to be eyeing a deal to put an end to the bloody conflict in Ukraine - but it may not be all good news for Kyiv. Advertisement Trump told reporters in The White House that Zelensky is "going to have to get ready to sign something" in order to bring peace to his nation. Top diplomats from the US and Russia and currently working on an agreement to finalise post-war territories, senior officials told Bloomberg. Could wanted war criminal Putin be ARRESTED when he meets Trump? How Vlad will use loophole to escape cuffs in Alaska Sources said Trump's team is trying to get Ukraine and its European allies on board to get a peace deal that would see Kyiv make some concessions. One major sticking point for Moscow is the annexation of Ukrainian territory - one of Putin's long-term demands. Advertisement Zelensky has been adamant that Ukraine will not accept any further annexation of its land. Although he suggested Russia could be allowed to retain some of the land it has taken. Moscow is likely to demand that Ukraine cede its entire eastern Donbas area to Russia, as well as Crimea - which Moscow annexed in 2014. This means Ukrainian troops will need to withdraw from the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk - the regions still being held by Kyiv. Advertisement In return, Moscow would stop its offensive in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine along the current battlelines, according to the officials. Kyiv risks being presented with a take-it-or-leave-it offer during the high-stakes meeting. 7 Zelensky has told European leaders they must reject any settlement proposals by the US that demand Ukraine give up further land. Advertisement Trump announced on Friday that the only way to resolve the issues is for both sides to accept losses of land. He said: "It's complicated, actually. Nothing is easy. It's very complicated. "We're going to get some switched. There'll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both." The MAGA prez said he would try to return territory to Ukraine. Advertisement Don added: "Russia has occupied a big portion of Ukraine. They've occupied some very prime territory. "We're going to try and get some of that territory back for Ukraine." Putin, who has consistently rejected calls for a ceasefire, said that he wants peace but that his demands for ending his invasion were "unchanged". Slave to one's habits Zelensky has warned that Putin has no intention of seeking peace. Advertisement He claimed Putin would try to fool Trump and continue waging his bloody war against Ukraine. The embattled president said: "[Putin] is definitely not preparing for a ceasefire or an end to the war. "He is determined only to present a meeting with America as his personal victory and then continue acting exactly as before. 'The Russians simply want to buy time, not end the war. Advertisement Zelensky said that Putin was redeploying troops and forces "in ways that suggest preparations for new offensive operations. 'If someone is preparing for peace, this is not what he does.' Igor Novikov, Zelensky's ex-adviser, spoke to The Sun about the Putin and Trump meeting on US soil. 7 Putin said his demands for ending his invasion were 'unchanged' Credit: Getty Advertisement 7 Zelensky has warned that Putin has no intention of seeking peace Credit: AFP He said: "Trump understands that he needs to put enough sanction pressure and military pressure on Russia for them to consider ending this war. "But at the same time, Putin tries to manipulate and charm him, massage his ego into a position where Russia wins time and the US moves further away from helping Ukraine. "Whatever they decide upon. It won't be taken for granted by the Ukrainian people." Advertisement Zelensky was initially thought to be a possible third member around the table at Friday's superpower summit. The first announcements from the White House suggested Putin would meet Trump, followed by a three-way meeting between Trump, Putin and Zelensky. But that was swiftly shut down by the Kremlin, and an aide denied it had ever been agreed to on the Russian side. Could Putin be arrested in Alaska? By Patrick Harrington, Foreign news reporter VLADIMIR Putin will jet to Alaska for a historic summit with President Trump on Friday to seek an end to the war- but he does so as a wanted international criminal. The International Criminal Court (ICC) slapped him with an arrest warrant in 2023 over allegations of war crimes - so the "billion-dollar question" is: can Putin be cuffed in Alaska? Putin would in theory be nabbed if he were to visit any of 125 countries around the world - including the UK, France, Germany and Canada. But the US the is among the minority of countries which does not recognise the rule of the ICC. It sit among the ranks of Russia, China, Pakistan and a handful of others in disregarding the framework. This means that, unlike most nations, the US "is not bound to arrest Putin". So the Kremlin can be confident that their leader will be leaving the Arctic state in his own plane - and trotting the globe without any threat of repercussions. The US president also dismissed claims that next week's historic summit hinges on a three-way meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky. Advertisement Asked if Putin needed to meet Zelensky in order to meet him, Trump clarified: "No, he doesn't." Despite that, the White House is preparing for a possible trilateral summit. Over the weekend, a source briefed on the internal talks told The Sun: "It's being discussed." A meeting with Putin and Trump will come after weeks of constant barbs being fired at the Russian tyrant by America's leader. Advertisement Trump has expressed frustration with Putin, questioning whether the Russian leader really wants peace with Ukraine. Putin has snubbed peace for months and is instead steadily increasing his overnight bombing raids - which could soon hit 1,000 drones and missiles a day. Just days ago, 31 people died including five children after the Russians fired an Iskander missile into a residential tower block in Kyiv.
Irish Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Cillian Murphy would be 'interesting' pick for James Bond, Succession star says
Actor Brian Cox has said Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy would be an "interesting" choice to play James Bond. In an interview with Radio Times, the Succession star discussed the upcoming second series of reality competition 007: Road To A Million, in which he returns as The Controller, the stern and sardonic taskmaster. The Prime Video series follows eight contestants as they are dropped into the high-stakes world of James Bond, where they take on missions that push them to the limits, testing them physically and psychologically, for the chance to win £1 million (€1.16m). Of the role of the 007 agent, Cox said: "It's only natural that it goes through changes because we start off young and end up old. "Is Cillian Murphy being recommended? I think that would be interesting. "I like Cillian. He's very real, he's got no crap about him." Brian Cox, who has said that Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy would be an 'interesting' choice to play James Bond in an interview with Radio Times, which appears in the 16-22 August 2025 issue. Issue date: Tuesday August 12, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jane Barlow/PA Wire Amazon MGM Studios previously announced that Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight will write the script for the next James Bond film, which will be directed by Dune's Denis Villeneuve. Irish actor Murphy played the lead role in Knight's TV series of hard-drinking gang leader Tommy Shelby. In the interview, Cox described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "definite villain" and criticised US President Donald Trump's administration. The Scottish actor, 79, said: "There's certainly a lot of people around who I feel are villainous. "With what's happening in Ukraine, Putin is a definite villain, for my money. "I think some of the American behaviour has definitely been unthinking. "What's tragic is that America was built on the notion of egalitarianism, and the present administration don't want us to be equal." The full interview can be read in the latest edition of Radio Times magazine. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
