The United States is considering whether to invite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the upcoming Trump–Putin summit, a diplomatic move that could redefine the high-stakes talks set for August 15, 2025, in Alaska.
Originally planned as a bilateral meeting between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the event has come under pressure from NATO allies and European leaders to ensure Ukraine’s direct participation. This echoes other geopolitical flashpoints recently covered, such as the U.S.–India trade dispute over tariffs and escalating tensions in the Congo Basin over oil drilling.
Sources say senior U.S. officials are exploring a trilateral summit format. The push comes after Zelenskyy received public backing from the European Union, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom — all insisting that Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable.
Kyiv has firmly stated it will reject any peace deal involving territorial concessions to Russia. Moscow, however, continues to demand recognition of its annexations and limits on Ukraine’s military mobilization. The diplomatic standoff mirrors the kind of high-risk negotiations seen in other international arenas, including the Brazil–U.S. WTO steel dispute (read more here).
European leaders warn that excluding Zelenskyy from the talks could undermine the summit’s legitimacy. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has reiterated that “Ukraine must decide its own future — no deal can be imposed from the outside.”
With just days before the Alaska summit, Washington faces a pivotal decision: invite Zelenskyy and risk altering the entire meeting’s tone, or proceed without him and face criticism from allies — potentially turning the event into another round of symbolic diplomacy rather than a breakthrough, as seen in cases like the Southend Airport crash talks aftermath.