US President Donald Trump stated that he would hold a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska. This announcement came hours after Trump revealed potential conditions for a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine, which may include land exchange.
Trump posted on his account in “Truth Social”: “The upcoming meeting with the United States and President Vladimir Putin from Russia will be held on Friday, August 15, 2025 in Alaska’s great state. Other details later.”
Putin’s peace plan: Regional concessions from Ukraine
The United States, including Trump, briefed on European leaders and Ukrainian officials of a plan made by Putin to stop the war in exchange for major regional concessions from Kiev, according to Western sources.
The plan includes Ukraine’s abdication of the East Dunpas region, which Russia occupies greatly, in addition to the Crimean Peninsula that Russia illegally included in 2014.
European reservations and warnings of the continued conflict
The plan raised concern some European officials who considered it an attempt by Putin to avoid US sanctions that were supposed to be imposed on Friday, with a few concessions.
However, this motivation was the catalyst that prompted Trump to announce a summit with Putin as soon as possible.
Inchids and frozen front lines
At the present time, there are still questions about the fate of the Zabarujia and Khairsson regions in Ukraine, where Russia controls parts of them, and other details related to Putin’s demands regarding Ukraine’s lack of joining NATO and determining the size of its army are not yet decided.
The United States seeks to mobilize European support
Trump Steve Wittouf envoy made contacts with European officials to clarify the details of the plan, and said that the proposal is a step in the right direction that could be followed by a broader peace plan after the ceasefire.
US officials are trying to persuade their European allies to agree to the plan, but there are still doubts about the success of these efforts.
Fears of granting Russia a reward for invading lands
The possibility of international recognition of Russia’s control over Donetsk and Luhansk has sparked fears that this may encourage Moscow to continue the future attacks.
A European official said: “The official recognition of lands that were seized by force without punishment encourages more aggression,” said a European official.
Trump talks about peace chances and presses Zelinski
Trump expressed cautious optimism about the possibility of peace, and said that European leaders, Bottin and Zelinski all want peace.
He pointed out that he asked Zelinski to facilitate negotiations, even though the latter needs the approval of Parliament or a national referendum to waive the lands.
Trump said: “He is seeking to achieve what he needs, but he is not authorized to do some things. I told him that you should act quickly because we are very close to reaching an agreement,” Trump said.
A contradiction in the American position on sanctions and meetings
Earlier in the week, Trump threatened to impose new sanctions on Russia if the war was not ended by Friday, but he reduced his accent on Thursday, indicating that the final decision is in Putin’s hand.
When asked if Putin was obligated to meet Zellinski before his personal meeting with Trump, he replied, “No, not obligatory.”
