Ukraine, Ceasefire, Land Swaps: What Zelenskyy And Europe Want Trump To Achieve At Alaska Meeting With Putin

India.com

a day ago

Berlin (Germany): As U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday (August 15), European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are intensifying efforts to ensure Ukraine remains at the heart of any negotiations.
The meeting marks Trump's bid to end the three-year war in Ukraine, but concerns about unilateral concessions to Moscow have prompted urgent coordination among Kyiv and key European capitals.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz convened a virtual summit on Wednesday with Trump, Zelenskyy and leaders from France, Italy, Poland, Finland, NATO and the European Union (E.U.). The discussions were designed to prevent a scenario in which Trump might be swayed to accept terms favourable to Russia without Ukraine's consent.
Following the summit, Zelenskyy addressed reporters in Berlin alongside Chancellor Merz. He outlined 'five common principles' agreed upon to guide the upcoming Alaska talks.
'Everything concerning Ukraine must be discussed exclusively with Ukraine. We must prepare a trilateral format for talks. There must be a ceasefire, that is number one,' he said.
He also emphasised robust security guarantees. 'There must be security guarantees, truly reliable ones. And today, President Trump spoke of his support for this and of America's readiness to participate,' he added.
He stressed that Russia 'cannot have a veto over Ukraine's European and NATO prospects' and highlighted that peace talks must be coupled with appropriate pressure on Moscow.
Zelenskyy also warned that sanctions against Russia should be reinforced if a ceasefire is not agreed upon.
European officials echoed similar concerns. The EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said on August 10, 'The United States has the power to force Russia to negotiate seriously, but any deal between the U.S. and Russia must have Ukraine and the E.U. included, for it is a matter of Ukraine's and the whole of Europe's security.'
Similarly, German Chancellor Merz stated, 'We cannot accept that territorial issues between Russia and America are discussed or even decided over the heads of Europeans, over the heads of Ukrainians.'
Trump has framed his approach as a mediator, signalling willingness to pressure both Kyiv and Moscow. 'I am going in to speak to Vladimir Putin, and I am going to be telling him, 'You have got to end this war. You have got to end it,'' he told reporters.
He suggested that land swaps might be part of a resolution, though neither Russia nor Ukraine have so far agreed to cede territory.
The U.S. president also criticised Zelenskyy over Kyiv's resistance to territorial concessions. 'I get along with Zelenskyy, but, you know, I disagree with what he has done. Very, very severely disagree. This is a war that should have never happened,' Trump said.
He added, 'I was a little bothered by the fact that Zelenskyy was saying, 'Well, I have to get constitutional approval.' I mean, he has got approval to go into war and kill everybody, but he needs approval to do a land swap because there will be some land swapping going on.'
Zelenskyy has been firm on his country's position. 'Kyiv will not give Russia any awards for what it has done,' he stated last weekend.
He also clarified that Ukraine's constitutional framework prevents unilateral land concessions. 'There is no indication whatsoever that the Russians have received signals to prepare for a post-war situation. On the contrary, they are redeploying their troops and forces in ways that suggest preparations for new offensive operations,' he warned.
European and Ukrainian officials have also countered Russia's recent ceasefire proposal, which demanded major territorial concessions from Kyiv, including the entirety of the Donetsk region. Their response insists on a ceasefire first, reciprocal land arrangements if necessary and strong security guarantees, potentially including NATO membership for Ukraine.
The Alaska summit will test Trump's role as mediator and the durability of transatlantic coordination. European leaders and Zelenskyy remain steadfast: Ukraine must remain in the room, and any agreement with Russia must protect its sovereignty, territorial integrity and long-term security.