Zelensky not invited to Putin-Trump summit
On Friday, Trump announced he would meet Putin on August 15 in Alaska. In the hours after the announcement, several outlets reported that Zelensky might take part in some form, with a senior White House official telling CBS News the planning was 'still fluid' and that Zelensky could be involved.
However, the Washington Post has reported that no invitation has been extended to Zelensky so far. Reuters has also said, citing sources, that the White House is still considering inviting him, but is currently focused on organizing a bilateral meeting, at Russia's request.
Putin has said he will not rule out a meeting with Zelensky, but the Kremlin has stressed that the conditions for such talks have not been met.
Trump has suggested that upcoming negotiations could involve 'some swapping of territories to the betterment of both.' However, on Saturday, Zelensky rejected any land-swap proposals, citing limitations imposed by Ukraine's constitution.
The Washington Post has noted that, given the strained relationship between Trump and Zelensky after their tense Oval Office meeting earlier this year, Zelensky's refusal to consider territorial concessions could risk potential blowback from Trump, who has previously described him as difficult to negotiate with.
Russian officials have repeatedly said that any peace deal must address the root causes of the conflict and reflect the realities on the ground, including the status of Crimea as well as the Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, which joined Russia after referendums in 2022.
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