White House Considers Bringing Zelenskyy to Alaska for Trump-Putin Discussions
As Trump pursues a ceasefire agreement in spite of Putin’s territorial ambitions, the US considers inviting a Ukrainian leader to the summit in Alaska.
According to a senior U.S. official and three people briefed on the talks, the White House is thinking of inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Alaska, where U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin next week.
According to a source with knowledge of the situation, “it’s being discussed,” but Zelenskyy’s attendance has not yet been decided.
The visit is “absolutely” feasible, according to a senior administration official, who added, “Everyone is very hopeful that would happen.” The person stated that Trump is still amenable to a trilateral summit, even if the White House has not formally confirmed an invitation. The official went on to say, “The White House is currently concentrating on organizing the bilateral meeting that President Putin has requested.”
Requests for comment have not yet received a response from Zelenskyy’s office.
In an effort to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine, Trump said Friday that he will meet with Putin in Alaska on August 15. Trump later abandoned the White House’s initial demand that a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy be held before beginning negotiations with the Russian leader.
If the Ukrainian president shows there, it is uncertain if Zelenskyy and Putin will have a face-to-face meeting.
The rush of diplomacy comes as Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, visited Moscow before Putin had until Friday to commit to a truce or risk further penalties. The proposal has not been approved by the Russian leader, but he has offered conditions that would permit Moscow to keep sizable portions of the occupied Ukrainian territory—a demand that Kyiv has rejected.
Ukrainians “will not give their land to occupiers,” Zelenskyy said on Saturday, while Trump hinted that “there’ll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both.”
Before the discussions in Alaska, administration officials are now trying to mobilize support from Ukraine and Europe for a possible ceasefire deal.
