Trump tells Zelensky, European leaders Alaska summit goal is ceasefire: Axios

WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key European leaders Wednesday that his main goal for Friday’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin is to secure a ceasefire and “better understand” prospects for a full peace deal, Axios reported, citing two sources.

The report said Zelenskyy warned Trump during the virtual meeting that “Putin cannot be trusted,” urging more pressure on Moscow and rejecting legal recognition of Russian-occupied territories.

Trump reportedly told leaders he could not decide territorial issues but suggested land swaps might be part of a peace deal, saying such discussions must be between Putin and Zelenskyy, according to the report, citing an anonymous source with knowledge of the meeting.

Ahead of the Alaska meeting with Putin, Trump attended the virtual conference Wednesday with Zelenskyy and other European leaders to coordinate their approach.

Trump's forthcoming talks with Putin will be the first face-to-face meeting between sitting Russian and US presidents since June 2021, when Putin met then-US President Joe Biden in Geneva, Switzerland. It will also mark the first time a Russian president sets foot on Alaskan soil since the Russian Empire sold the territory to the US in 1867.