By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – US President Donald J Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday met in Alaska to discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine, Moscow and Kyiv remain firmly at odds.
Moscow has reiterated its demands for Ukraine to withdraw troops from occupied regions, abandon its NATO ambitions, and recognize Russian control over several territories.
Ukraine has categorically rejected ceding any of its land to Russia.
Both sides maintained entrenched positions, predicting the outcome of the Trump-Putin summit remains difficult.
Russian Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesperson Alexei Fadee told reporters that Moscow’s stance has not changed since Putin outlined his conditions to end the war in June last year.
“Russia’s position remains unchanged, and it was voiced in this very hall just over a year ago, on June 14, 2024,” Fadee said.
Putin’s conditions include the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, and the formal abandonment of Ukraine’s NATO membership aspirations.
Russia controls nearly 20% of Ukraine’s territory. Putin wants Kyiv to recognize Crimea, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk as part of the Russian Federation.
Ukraine has made it clear it will not surrender any territory to Russia and will never recognize Russian occupation.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after Trump announced his planned summit with Putin earlier this month “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier”.
Zelenskyy warned that such a move could pave the way for another Russian offensive responding to reports that Putin might demand Ukraine surrender parts of Donbas still under its control.
“If we withdraw from the Donbas today our fortifications, our terrain, the heights we control — we will clearly open a bridgehead for the Russians to prepare an offensive,” he cautioned.
Trump has said his aim is to bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table.
He was speaking to reporters aboard his flight to Alaska, he emphasized that his involvement is about saving lives.
“I’m not doing this for my health. I’d like to focus on our country but I’m doing this to save a lot of lives,” Trump said.
He stated that he would walk out of the meeting if it doesn’t go well.
On the possibility of a territorial swap, he said that decision rests with Ukraine.
“They’ll be discussed, but I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision… I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m here to get them at a table,” he explained.
Trump also suggested that Ukraine might join a future security arrangement, though not in the form of NATO.
“Not in the form of NATO because there are certain things that aren’t going to happen but along with Europe, there’s a possibility of that,” he added.
