Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will not take part in the upcoming meeting between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, scheduled for Friday in Anchorage,
Alaska. According to the White House, the decision to exclude Zelenskyy stems from the fact that the meeting was arranged at Putin’s request, with the goal of exploring potential steps toward ending the war in Ukraine.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Tuesday that the president agreed to the meeting after receiving a direct invitation from the Russian leader.
She emphasized that the objective was to gain a clearer understanding of how the conflict might be brought to a close.
“I think the president of the United States getting in the room with the president of Russia, sitting face-to-face rather than speaking over the telephone will give this president the best indication of how to end this war and where this is headed,” Leavitt said.
Leavitt also clarified that while the administration seeks a peace agreement, this particular discussion is a bilateral meeting between the U.S. and Russia, not a negotiation involving both countries in the conflict. “You need both countries to agree to a deal,” she noted.
Zelenskyy Rejects Decisions Without Ukraine
Responding to the news, President Zelenskyy stated on Saturday that any decisions to end the war that are made without Ukraine’s participation would be ineffective.
“Any decisions made against us, any decisions made without Ukraine — they are simultaneously decisions against peace,” he said.
“These are dead decisions; they will never work. And what we all need is a real, living peace, one that people will respect.”
Several European leaders echoed Zelenskyy’s stance, releasing a joint statement asserting that the “path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine.”
Trump’s Approach and Possible Outcomes
Trump told reporters Monday that he expected to know within minutes of meeting Putin whether the Russian leader was genuinely interested in striking a deal. He acknowledged that any potential agreement might require “land swapping” discussions between Russia and Ukraine.
The former president also said he intended to update Zelenskyy and European leaders after the meeting.
“If it’s a fair deal, I will reveal it to the European Union leaders and the NATO leaders and also to President Zelenskyy,” Trump said. “I may say, ‘lots of luck, keep fighting,’ or I may say we can make a deal.”
When asked if the meeting would serve as the starting point for a peace agreement or simply gauge whether one was possible, Leavitt said the administration was open to both possibilities.
