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The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, had a phone call on Tuesday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to coordinate the upcoming summit in Alaska between President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin, according to the State Department. Both parties reaffirmed their dedication to making the event successful, with Putin requesting the meeting, scheduled for Friday in Alaska.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called this meeting a “personal victory” for Putin, who has been largely isolated by Western countries since launching his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In an earlier radio interview on Tuesday, Rubio dismissed criticism surrounding the summit. He explained that Trump feels the need to meet face-to-face with Putin to assess him directly, saying, “President Trump wants to look him in the eyes. He needs to hear him speak one-on-one.” Rubio emphasized that a meeting for Trump is not a sign of concession but a necessary step for understanding.
Trump has previously indicated that any peace agreement would involve some territorial exchanges that benefit both Russia and Ukraine, which has historically relied heavily on the U.S. for military aid. However, since the contested regions are within Ukraine’s borders, Zelensky and European Union leaders worry that Ukraine might be pressured to cede more territory than Russia.
The Biden administration has lowered expectations for significant breakthroughs at the Alaska summit, describing it mainly as a “listening exercise” with Putin. Zelensky and most European allies stress that lasting peace depends on Ukraine’s direct involvement in negotiations, with any deal respecting international law, Ukraine’s sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
Ahead of the summit, Zelensky and his European counterparts will participate in a virtual meeting with Trump on Wednesday to highlight these concerns. This marks the first U.S.-Russia summit since 2021.
Zelensky has stated that any genuine peace must begin with Russia agreeing to a ceasefire first, and he rejects any Russian proposals for Ukraine to withdraw from eastern Donbas or abandon its defensive positions.
Regarding Zelensky’s absence from the Alaska talks, a White House spokesperson explained that Putin was the one who proposed the bilateral meeting, which Trump accepted to better understand how to bring the conflict to an end. The spokesperson added, “This is for the president to gain a clearer picture of the situation. Both countries need to agree to any deal.”
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