Overview

• President Trump and President Putin will meet in Alaska on August 15 in a bilateral summit that excludes Ukrainian participation.
• Trump has described the meeting as a “feel-out” session and indicated potential land swaps, while downplaying hopes for a firm agreement.
• Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and European leaders have scheduled calls with Trump to demand Ukraine’s inclusion and reject any territorial concessions without Kyiv’s consent.
• Russia is poised to press for international recognition of its control over Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea, but Ukraine’s constitution bars ceding territory without a national referendum.
• Analysts warn that the summit risks delivering symbolic outcomes favoring Moscow and could coerce Kyiv through threats to U.S. arms supplies and intelligence sharing.