Alaska on Hold: Trump Works the Phones Before Putin Meeting

The call between Trump, Zelenskyy, and European leaders is setting the tone for his upcoming meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The world will watch to see if any progress is possible in ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. The White House is already lowering expectations. That is fine. Donald Trump is stepping into a diplomatic minefield most leaders would avoid.

Trump Speaks with Zelenskyy and European Leaders

In the lead-up to the Alaska meeting, Trump’s pre-summit call with Zelensky and European leaders is more than a courtesy. It is a strategic step to make sure every major player is heard before he sits down with Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine’s voice matters, without Ukraine at the table, no lasting deal can happen. But Zelenskyy has been clear. He will never give up territory, including the Donbas. That leaves little room for compromise.

BREAKING: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he will not give the Donbas region to Russia as part of a ceasefire deal, days ahead of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s meeting in Alaska.

https://t.co/rK6nojEZg1 pic.twitter.com/Vyjfs3UYFT

— POLITICOEurope (@POLITICOEurope) August 12, 2025

Putin has his own red lines. He will not retreat without something in return. Or will he even entertain the word retreat? Probably not. So why is he even willing to meet? What does he hope to gain from sitting down with Trump? Is it sanctions relief? Is it buying time on the battlefield? Or does he see Trump as the only U.S. leader worth talking to? Whatever the reason, Putin’s presence in Alaska is not without calculation.

Trump’s real challenge is not simply stopping the fighting without either side losing face. He is stepping into a war where Putin refuses to give up territorial gains and Ukraine will not surrender a single inch.

Again, I ask, why is Putin even willing to meet? He is not meeting for a charity. The answer could be leverage. A summit gives him an international stage, a chance to look like a statesman, and possibly an opening to press for sanctions relief without making real concessions.

This Trump-Zelenskyy call with European leaders is more than a courtesy. It is a deliberate move to align priorities before Trump sits down with Putin.

Trump has already signaled that a “land swap” may be necessary to end the war.

Zelensky said he spoke with the president and special envoy Steve Witkoff via phone recently about what steps Russia was prepared to take to end the war.

“Witkoff said that there should be territorial concessions from both sides – that’s how it sounded. And that, most likely, Putin wants us to withdraw from Donbas. In other words, it didn’t sound like it was America wanting us to withdraw,” the Ukrainian leader said.

“During the call, I said that I am not ready to discuss Ukraine’s territories, as this is solely a matter of our Constitution,” Zelensky added.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and captured most of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions within Donbas.

The Kremlin has already expressed a desire to keep Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson before committing to ending the violent strikes in eastern Europe.

However, Zelensky said, “Donbas for the Russians is a springboard for a future new offensive.”

“If today we leave Donbas, from our fortifications, from our reliefs, from the heights that we control, we will clearly open a bridgehead for preparing an offensive by the Russians. In a few years, Putin will have an open path to both the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro regions. And not only that. Also to Kharkiv,” he added, according to PoliticoEU.

Kherson was previously occupied by Russia but eventually liberated by Ukraine in 2022. – The Hill

The White House itself has said this meeting is more about listening than locking in a deal. That means Trump is walking into a room where the most realistic outcome may be a ceasefire discussion or a path toward future talks. It will not satisfy those who expect instant peace, but it could be the first crack in a wall that has been solid for years.

But there is another side to it. Even if no peace deal comes out of Alaska, Trump can walk away with something valuable: firsthand intelligence. Meeting Putin face-to-face allows Trump to read his tone, test his flexibility, and gauge what pressures he might be feeling at home. It gives Trump unfiltered information he can weigh against what European leaders and Zelenskyy tell him.

A short ceasefire would be a start. It could allow prisoner swaps or open humanitarian corridors. These moves would not end the war but could save lives and create momentum. Biden never came close to that.

Critics will call the meeting a photo op. They miss the point. Talking matters. Even small steps can change the tone. The act of meeting sends a message to allies and adversaries that the United States is willing to lead.

The war has dragged on for years. Sanctions have not stopped it. Western aid has kept Ukraine fighting but has also tested the patience of taxpayers. Something has to change. The Trump-Putin Alaska Summit is a chance to try a different approach.

At some point, the conversation has to shift from how do we win to how do we end this. Forcing Zelenskyy’s hand might open a path to peace, but it also risks creating the perception that Russia won. Which could look like a dangerous narrative emboldening Putin and unsettling NATO allies. That is the fine line Trump has to navigate in Alaska.

There will be no signed peace deal in Alaska. That is not realistic. The meeting can give Trump the upper hand for whatever comes next. If he can wring even a short pause in the fighting or force Putin to commit to the next round of talks, that is a win. If he leaves Alaska knowing exactly where Putin stands and how to use it against him later, that is an even bigger win. The battlefield will not change overnight, but the balance of leverage just might.

Feature Image: Generated by Grok on X

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