Overview

• President Trump confirmed that he will meet President Putin in Alaska on August 15 following Russia’s opposition to European hosts.
• U.S. and Russian negotiators are discussing a preliminary deal to freeze front lines by recognizing Russia’s control over occupied Ukrainian regions in return for halting offensives in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
• Ukrainian President Zelensky has insisted that Ukraine and European representatives join the talks in a trilateral format before any agreement can proceed.
• The United States is working to secure consent from Kyiv and its European allies for the proposed settlement, but their backing remains unresolved.
• Trump’s threat of secondary sanctions on Russia remains in place as leverage to compel Moscow’s agreement to the ceasefire terms.