Potential Triad: Zelenskyy, Trump, and Putin in Alaska
The U.S. ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, recently floated the intriguing possibility that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may join the much-anticipated summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, slated for Alaska.
In a CNN interview aired on Sunday, Whitaker was queried about Zelenskyy’s potential invitation to the gathering. He replied, “I certainly think it’s possible,” emphasizing that any resolution regarding the ongoing conflict must have the consensus of all stakeholders involved.
A Quest for Peace: The Stakes of the Alaska Meeting
Scheduled for August 15, the Trump-Putin meeting aims to address the three-year-old war in Ukraine, a conflict that has become a linchpin in global geopolitics. White House officials have confirmed the meeting’s existence, while Trump has been vocal about imposing new sanctions on Russia, should it continue its military actions without resolution.
President Zelenskyy responded to the planned summit through a statement on X, asserting that Kyiv must be part of any discussions affecting its future. “Any decisions that are against us, any decisions that are without Ukraine, are at the same time decisions against peace,” he remarked. His stance underscores a profound realization: peace cannot be brokered in absentia.
The Land Dilemma: A Constitutional Standoff
Trump has hinted at a potential territorial compromise that might involve “some swapping of territories to the betterment of both” sides, raising fears in Ukraine about possible concessions of land, given that Russia currently occupies nearly 20% of Ukrainian territory. However, Zelenskyy has firmly rejected any notion of ceding land, stating, “The answer to Ukraine’s territorial question is already in the constitution of Ukraine. No one will and no one can deviate from it. Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier.”
Negotiations: The Unlikely Path Forward
Vice President JD Vance expressed skepticism about the viability of a negotiated settlement that would leave either party satisfied. In a Fox News interview, he remarked, “It’s not going to make anybody super happy. Both the Russians and the Ukrainians, probably, at the end of the day, are going to be unhappy with it.” Vance indicated that the U.S. is attempting to coordinate discussions among the three leaders but raised doubts about the effectiveness of a direct Zelenskyy-Putin meeting prior to engaging with Trump.
On social media, Vance framed the Trump-Putin conversation as a vital step toward peace, though details remained sparse.
A Promise Yet to Be Fulfilled
During his 2024 campaign, Trump claimed he could resolve the Ukraine-Russia conflict within a day, yet tangible progress towards peace remains elusive. In the lead-up to the Alaska meeting, Trump has threatened further sanctions on Russia and has even ordered U.S. nuclear-capable submarines closer to Russian waters, a response to provocative statements from former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.
Ambassador Whitaker expressed optimism that “direct engagement by President Trump is obviously leading us closer to peace,” a sentiment that reflects a broader hope for a diplomatic resolution in a conflict that has claimed numerous lives and destabilized the region.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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