US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to hold critical talks at a US military base in Alaska, with the aim of negotiating a potential ceasefire in Ukraine. The meeting, scheduled to begin at 11:30 am local time (8:30 pm BST), comes at a time when the war in Ukraine has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Ahead of the meeting, Trump expressed confidence that Putin would not “mess around” with him, saying, “I am president, and he’s not going to mess around with me.” Trump believes that Putin wants to reach an agreement, but he also thinks there’s a 25% chance the meeting might not be successful. The US president has suggested that European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, might attend a potential second meeting with Trump, Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Putin has praised Trump’s efforts towards ending the war in Ukraine, describing them as “quite energetic and sincere.” The Russian leader believes that Trump is working to create long-term conditions for peace between their countries, in Europe, and globally. However, a senior Eastern European official warned that Putin might try to distract Trump from Ukraine by offering progress on nuclear arms control or business-related issues.
There’s concern that Russia’s primary goal is to avoid new sanctions and have existing ones lifted. Zelensky and European leaders worry that a deal could cement Russia’s gains in Ukraine, rewarding Putin for his efforts to seize Ukrainian land and potentially emboldening him to expand further into Europe. An EU diplomat described the situation as “scary to see how it all unfolds in the coming hours.”
UK Defence Secretary John Healey dismissed suggestions that Britain’s approach to the Ukraine war was to “watch and wait” as the US holds talks with Putin. Instead, he emphasized that the UK’s role is to stand with Ukraine on the battlefield and in negotiations, leading 30 other nations in military planning for a ceasefire and secure peace.
The meeting between Trump and Putin could determine the trajectory of the war in Ukraine and the fate of European security. Possible outcomes include a ceasefire agreement, discussions on nuclear arms control, and exploration of economic ties between Russia and the US. However, the complexity of the issues and the differing goals of the parties involved make the outcome uncertain.
After the meeting, Trump said there would be a press conference, but it’s unclear whether it would be joint with Putin. The US president has also shown willingness to join security guarantees for Ukraine, which could be discussed in future meetings. As the situation unfolds, the international community will be watching closely to see how the talks progress and what implications they might have for the future of Ukraine and global security.
