Trump-Putin Alaska Summit Raises Fears of Ukrainian Losses

Trump announced the Trump-Putin summit location as “symbolic,” noting Alaska was sold by Russia to the United States in 1867 for $7.2 million

American President Donald Trump will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, August 15, in talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine — but Ukrainian officials and European allies warn the conditions could heavily favor Moscow and leave Kyiv under pressure to concede territory.

Trump announced the summit location as “symbolic,” noting Alaska was sold by Russia to the United States in 1867 for $7.2 million. The meeting, however, will take place without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky present, fueling concerns in Kyiv that any deal could be negotiated over Ukraine’s head.

“This is about ending the war,” Trump said, adding that his envoy, Steve Witkoff, has been holding preliminary talks with Russian officials. Witkoff has floated proposals for Ukraine to cede remaining parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions still under Ukrainian control in exchange for a ceasefire.

Zelensky firmly rejects concessions

In a video address Saturday, Zelensky said Ukraine is “ready to work together with President Trump,” but dismissed any suggestion of giving up territory. “We will not trade away towns our soldiers have died defending,” he said.

Kyiv fears such proposals would reward Russian advances on the battlefield. Moscow’s forces are close to surrounding two strategic cities — Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka — and analysts say Ukraine might eventually withdraw to save manpower. But losing key population centers such as Kramatorsk and Sloviansk without resistance would hand Putin a symbolic and strategic victory.

Kremlin officials have signaled interest in acquiring territory through negotiation rather than combat. Putin aide Yury Ushakov described Alaska as “a great place to discuss economic cooperation” and suggested holding a follow-up summit in Russia.

Putin’s long-term demands remain clear: full Ukrainian capitulation or control over large swaths of the country, plus a broader reset with Washington that includes cutting U.S. military and intelligence support to Kyiv.

Western warnings of a ‘paper peace’

European governments are uneasy, comparing the situation to the 1938 Munich Agreement, when appeasement failed to stop Nazi Germany’s aggression. They note Russia has repeatedly agreed to ceasefires in Ukraine only to use the pause to rearm and resume offensives.

“Putin has never honored a deal in this war,” one European diplomat told reporters. “Why would this time be any different?”

The United States, Europe, and Ukraine have all called for an immediate ceasefire for months, but Russia insists on lengthy technical negotiations over monitoring and logistics — delays that benefit its current battlefield momentum.

Two major powers — India and China — have recently engaged with the Kremlin. Beijing, facing potential secondary U.S. sanctions, and New Delhi, at risk of 25% tariffs on exports, may have urged Moscow to show willingness for diplomacy, at least publicly. Both countries have deep energy ties to Russia.

Trump’s Shifting Tone on Putin

Trump has said his view of Putin has “evolved,” calling the Russian leader “disappointing” and accusing him of “tapping me along.” Yet critics note the U.S. president has repeatedly let sanctions deadlines pass without enforcement and appears reluctant to take actions that cause serious pain to Moscow.

Republicans and close advisers are expected to remind Trump of previous failed overtures to Russia. Still, many in Kyiv worry the Alaska meeting could produce a U.S.-Russia framework for a ceasefire based on territorial concessions, with further American military aid contingent on Ukraine’s compliance.

With just days until the summit, the situation on the ground is deteriorating for Ukraine. Russian forces are making steady gains in the east, and the prospect of a high-profile U.S.-Russia agreement — without Ukrainian participation — is raising alarms.

“Every day we defend our land,” Zelensky said. “Peace cannot be built by giving it away.”

Whether Alaska will mark a turning point toward peace or the start of a new phase of pressure on Kyiv remains uncertain. For now, the planned handshake between Trump and Putin is being viewed in many Western capitals not as a breakthrough, but as a potential prelude to Ukraine losing territory without a single shot being fired.

(Source: CNN)