Zelenskyy to meet Trump in Washington after Alaska summit

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday in Washington, following the U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska that ended without an agreement to halt the war in Ukraine.

The summit produced what Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin called an “understanding,” but no concrete commitments.

On Saturday, Trump shifted his position, saying a comprehensive peace deal—not a ceasefire—was now the preferred path to ending the war, aligning more closely with Moscow’s long-standing stance.

“It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement,” Trump posted after holding calls with Zelenskyy and European leaders.

The European leaders, in a joint statement, welcomed Trump’s efforts but stopped short of endorsing his preference for a peace agreement over a ceasefire. They reiterated their support for “just and lasting peace” and Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Trump had previously pushed for a ceasefire as a prerequisite to talks. But analysts say his new approach could empower Russia to continue military operations during negotiations.

Zelenskyy, who was not invited to the Alaska summit, said he had a “long and substantive” call with Trump and looked forward to discussing “all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war” in their Monday meeting.

It will be Zelenskyy’s first U.S. visit since a tense Oval Office meeting in February, where Trump accused him of being disrespectful.

Trump also held calls with leaders from France, Germany, Italy, the U.K., Finland, Poland, and the European Union. The group expressed readiness to support a trilateral summit involving Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S.

In the statement, the leaders underscored that “Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees,” and that “international borders must not be changed by force.” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas noted that Russia launched fresh attacks on Ukraine even as the delegations met in Alaska.

Zelenskyy said he welcomes the idea of a three-way summit and emphasized that European involvement is essential to any future guarantees. “Key issues can be discussed at the level of leaders, and a trilateral format is suitable for this,” he said.

However, Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said the topic of a trilateral meeting “has not been touched upon yet.”

Zelenskyy said he told Trump that sanctions on Russia should be strengthened if Moscow avoids honest talks.

Meanwhile, Russian officials described the summit as a symbolic end to Putin’s isolation. Former President Dmitry Medvedev called it a “breakthrough,” and Russian media portrayed Putin as reemerging on the world stage.

Despite the diplomatic theater, violence continued overnight. Ukraine’s air force reported that it shot down 61 of 85 Shahed drones launched by Russia, which also fired a ballistic missile. Russian forces struck regions including Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Chernihiv. Russia claimed it downed 29 Ukrainian drones over its territory and the Sea of Azov.

The 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line remains active, with Russian forces capturing more territory in recent months.

“Putin came to the Alaska summit with the principal goal of stalling any pressure on Russia to end the war,” said Neil Melvin of the Royal United Services Institute. “He will consider the outcome a mission accomplished.” — Agencies