IntelScoops

WASHINGTON — Former allies turned uneasy counterparts, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet in Alaska on Friday for high-stakes talks aimed at ending Russia’s three-year-old invasion of Ukraine. The meeting, the first between the two leaders since the February 2022 full-scale invasion, comes amid both mutual praise and sharp public criticism.

Trump, who once enjoyed what was widely described as a “bromance” with Putin during his first term (2017–2021), has in recent months accused the Kremlin leader of “needlessly killing a lot of people” in Ukraine. Still, he invited Putin to the United States for what he calls “a feel-out meeting” to gauge Moscow’s willingness to negotiate.

“I’m going to be telling him, ‘You’ve got to end this war,’” Trump said earlier this week, describing the gathering as a first step rather than a venue for a breakthrough. He also hinted at possible “changes in land” as part of any eventual deal — remarks that have heightened concerns in Kyiv and among European leaders.

Putin, for his part, has welcomed Trump’s initiative, praising his determination to seek peace but continuing military operations in Ukraine. Russia has demanded that Kyiv withdraw from regions claimed by Moscow, adopt a position of neutrality, and forgo NATO membership.

European capitals are wary. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has convened a video conference of EU and NATO leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, ahead of the Alaska summit. Their goal: to ensure Trump does not accept terms that undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are expected to join follow-up talks within the “Coalition of the Willing,” a group of Ukraine’s key military backers.

Kyiv has made clear it will not recognize Russian control over its territory and will not withdraw troops from the eastern Donbas region, which Moscow claims. Zelenskyy has warned that Russia’s recent battlefield movements suggest preparations for fresh offensives, not peace.

The Alaska meeting — only the second one-on-one between Trump and Putin since their controversial 2018 Helsinki summit — is being closely watched for signs of compromise or confrontation. For many in Washington, Brussels, and Kyiv, the question is whether Trump’s personal rapport with Putin will help forge an end to the war, or risk concessions that Ukraine and its allies cannot afford.