A proposed summit between United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is creating a lot of talk, especially about where the meeting will happen and who will not be included. The meeting, which is meant to discuss the war in Ukraine, is planned to take place in Alaska – a choice that has been praised by political and media figures in Moscow. However, the fact that Ukrainian or European leaders will not be part of the talks has caused worry in Kyiv and throughout Europe.
For Ukraine, being left out of the summit confirms its biggest fears, according to NBC. The Ukrainian president has not been invited to talks about the war happening in his own country. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that any decisions made without Ukraine’s involvement were “decisions against peace,” and “they will not achieve anything.”
When asked about inviting Zelenskyy, Trump said the Ukrainian leader was not part of the summit. Trump said specifically, “I would say he could go, but he’s gone to a lot of meetings. You know, he’s been there for three and a half years — nothing happened.”
Trump can’t do his deals over Zelenskyy’s head
The meaning behind choosing Alaska has not been missed by Russian observers. They are presenting the location as a nod to the past relationship between the two countries, since Russia sold Alaska to the U.S. 158 years ago. For Russia’s leaders, the site is a real reminder that the U.S. and Russia are neighbors, and they believe it could help improve ties between them. One Russian foreign policy advisor pointed out that the two nations are close neighbors with a shared border.
A former Russian ambassador to the U.S. said it made sense for the Russian delegation to cross the Bering Strait for such an important meeting. A Russian senator also called the location a smart choice, noting that it is far from Ukraine and Europe, which he described as mostly unfriendly.
No. President Zelenskyy is not invited even though trump is willing to give away Ukrainian that which does not belong to trump or the United States.
— Anne Holland (@AnneHol05256150) August 14, 2025
European leaders plan to hold a video meeting to agree on their own negotiating positions before a separate call with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. In a joint statement, European Union leaders said Trump’s steps “towards ending Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine” were good, but added that “a path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine.”
Even though these high-level talks have been announced, the fighting in Ukraine continues. The Russian military, with its larger forces, is pushing further into Ukraine while attacking its cities, leading to many deaths and injuries. The Kremlin’s gradual but steady advances come at a high cost in soldiers, and the ongoing war shows how urgently diplomacy is needed.
