As preparations continue for the Trump-Putin summit scheduled to take place August 15, 2025 in Alaska, the White House has suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may still join; though no invitation has yet been extended.
Tentative Involvement of Zelenskyy
According to senior U.S. officials, it’s “absolutely possible” Zelenskyy may join what is currently planned as a bilateral meeting between former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin; sources indicate the administration remains hopeful a trilateral summit might still occur. Facebook +15 BILD +15 Reuters +15
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Ukraine Presses for Inclusion
Zelenskyy and Kyiv are firm in their position that no peace agreement should take place without Ukraine being involved, warning in recent remarks that an agreement made without their participation would only serve to undermine efforts toward peace. [Wikipedia/AP News].
European allies–such as Britain, France and Germany–echoed Zelenskyy’s demands that Ukraine maintain sovereignty and security during any negotiation.
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Washington Walks a Diplomatic Tightrope
Though Trump’s summit with Zelenskyy had initially been presented as bilateral, the White House has kept open the possibility for greater diplomatic engagement between Washington and Kyiv, leaving Reddit, Facebook, and New York Post articles detailing this story as examples of its inaccuracy.
This summit’s significance was compounded by its venue: Alaska. A U.S. territory chosen as such may help shield proceedings from traditional venues as well as from International Criminal Court (ICC), which currently holds an arrest warrant against Putin. Our Atlantic is always our target when looking at these things – this year being no different!
As August 15 approaches, Ukrainian and European officials are pressing for a ceasefire-first strategy with security guarantees–not hasty territorial swaps–to achieve peace. Although Trump suggested possible land concessions as a peacemaking tactic, Zelenskyy has strongly dissented from any such talk. Our sources at The Times +4 and Reuters +4 report this development.
Summing Up
The White House’s indecision over Zelenskyy’s participation at the Trump-Putin summit underscores its delicate geopolitical stakes. While officialy bilateral, global pressure — specifically from Ukraine and its European supporters– keeps alive any possibility of more inclusive negotiations. Washington is yet to formalize an invitation but diplomatic discussions indicate further discussions may ensue.