US President Donald Trump has announced plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska, amid ongoing discussions about a potential peace deal in Ukraine. Trump suggested that any agreement would involve territorial swaps, stating, 'We’re gonna get some [territory] back. We’re gonna get some switched. There’ll be some swapping of territories, to the betterment of both.' He did not elaborate further, and Kyiv has not yet commented on the proposal.
Russian state media agency Tass confirmed the date and location of the meeting, citing Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Ushakov also indicated that another summit could be held in Moscow, with an invitation already extended to the US president. The White House has not responded to these remarks.
Putin earlier expressed reluctance to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, despite a proposal for a three-way meeting by US envoy Steve Witkoff. 'I have nothing against it in general, it is possible, but certain conditions must be created for this,' Putin said, adding that 'we are still far from creating such conditions.'
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk suggested that a 'freeze' in the conflict could be imminent, following discussions with Zelenskyy. 'There are certain signals, and we also have an intuition, that perhaps a freeze in the conflict – I don’t want to say the end, but a freeze in the conflict – is closer than it is further away,' Tusk said.
Zelenskyy reported that Ukraine remains in 'constant communication with the American side' as the deadline for a Russian ceasefire passed. He noted that 'no orders to stop have been given to the Russian army,' with over 100 drone strikes and other attacks on Ukraine that day. He emphasised that allies are 'united in the understanding that there is a chance to achieve at least a ceasefire, and that everything depends on the right pressure on Russia.'
In a separate development, Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who died in Russian captivity last year, was buried in Kyiv. She was reporting on Russia's policy of extrajudicial detention and torture in occupied Ukraine before her capture. Her body was returned earlier this year with some internal organs missing.
