President Donald Trump told European leaders during a call on Wednesday that he does not intend to discuss any possible divisions of territory when he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this week, according to two European officials and three other people briefed on the call.
Trump said on the call, which also included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, that he is going into the meeting with Putin with the goal of securing a ceasefire in Ukraine, those sources said.
Trump and European leaders agreed that a ceasefire in Ukraine has to be implemented before peace negotiations can begin, the European officials and two other people briefed on the call said. Some of the European leaders were left with the impression from the call that Trump is not optimistic about the results of his meeting with Putin, they added.
The call on Wednesday took place just days ahead of Trump’s meeting with Putin, which is planned for Friday. European and Ukrainian officials have been nervous about the president’s meeting with the Russian leader since he announced it last week. Among their concerns is that Trump and Putin might agree to the parameters of a peace deal, including territorial divisions, and then try to pressure Ukraine to agree to it. Trump’s comments last week that there would “be some land swapping” between Russia and Ukraine, in particular, put Zelenskyy and European leaders on edge.
But the two European officials and three other people briefed on Wednesday’s call said all the leaders agreed that Ukraine must be included in negotiations and should be the one to decide what territorial concessions it might be willing to make. They also said the leaders were united in their belief that if Putin does not agree to a ceasefire, Trump will likely levy new sanctions on Russia.
Two additional people familiar with Wednesday’s call said European leaders left feeling positive about Trump’s plans for his meeting with Putin. One of them said achieving a ceasefire is expected to be the priority for Trump in the meeting. The other person expressed confidence that Ukrainian territory would not be negotiated without Ukraine.
