Overview

• European leaders from the EU, France, Germany, the UK, Italy and Finland issued a declaration insisting that Ukraine must participate in the Trump–Putin talks.
• President Zelenski praised the European declaration and warned Trump not to be deceived by Putin after renewed Russian bombings injured civilians in the Zaporiyia region.
• Trump is considering but has not yet decided whether to invite Zelenski to the August 15 summit in Alaska, with U.S. officials reporting ongoing discussions at the White House.
• Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Serguei Riabkov urged the United States to abandon pressure tactics and cautioned that nuclear tensions remain high following Moscow’s suspension of its INF treaty commitments.
• U.S. officials such as Vice President J.D. Vance and Ambassador Matthew Whitaker warned that any summit outcome may leave all parties dissatisfied and that leaders will face pressure to renew the START III arms control treaty expiring in early 2026.