Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has voiced scepticism about the upcoming summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, cautioning that any peace agreement excluding Kyiv is doomed to fail.
The meeting, set for Friday in Alaska, is being regarded as a potentially pivotal moment.
Zelenskyy, who conveyed his concerns via a Telegram post on Saturday, warned that sidelining Ukraine from peace talks would merely result in "dead solutions."
Despite Trump demonstrating willingness to engage with Putin without committing to discussions with Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian leader stressed the vital importance of his country's participation, underlining Ukraine's territorial integrity as a core principle enshrined in its constitution.
Zelenskyy's remarks highlight fears that direct dialogue between Trump and Putin could undermine both Kyiv's and Europe's interests, emphasising that "Any solutions that are without Ukraine, are at the same time, solutions against peace. They will not bring anything. These are dead solutions, they will never work.", reports the Mirror US.
In confidential talks, Ukrainian officials had previously indicated to the Associated Press that they might potentially accept a peace deal acknowledging Ukraine's limited prospects of reclaiming lost territories through military means.
Trump has expressed his intention to meet with Putin to negotiate an end to the Ukraine conflict. Putin's foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, has suggested that a summit between the leaders of Russia and the US could be held in Alaska.
"It seems entirely logical for our delegation to fly across the Bering Strait simply, and for such an important and anticipated summit of the leaders of the two countries to be held in Alaska," he said in a statement released on the Kremlin's news channel.
Such a meeting could prove crucial in a conflict that erupted over three years ago when Russia initiated its invasion of its western neighbour, leading to tens of thousands of casualties. However, there is no guarantee it will halt the violence as Moscow and Kyiv remain deeply at odds over their peace terms.
Speaking to reporters at the White House before announcing the date and location, Trump hinted that any agreement would likely involve "some swapping of territories," although he did not provide further details.
Several experts, including those with ties to the Kremlin, have suggested that Russia might contemplate giving up territory it occupies beyond the four regions it claims to have incorporated.
Trump disclosed that his meeting with Putin would precede any direct talks with Zelenskyy. His decision to invite one of America's adversaries onto U.S. soil marked a departure from expectations they would meet in a neutral country.
This strategy gives Putin credibility after the U.S. and its allies have spent years trying to isolate him due to his campaign in Ukraine. Trump, frustrated that Putin ignored his pleas to cease bombing Ukrainian cities, heightened his ultimatum nearly a fortnight ago to impose further sanctions on Russia and apply secondary tariffs on nations purchasing Russian oil if the Kremlin didn't progress towards a resolution.
The deadline was set for Friday. However, the White House remained mum that evening about the status of potential sanctions after Trump revealed an impending meeting with Putin.
Before Trump's disclosure of the meeting with Putin, his attempts to pressure Russia into ending the conflict had been unsuccessful.
The Kremlin's larger army is progressively advancing deeper into Ukraine, enduring significant losses in troops and armour while continuously bombarding Ukrainian cities. Russia and Ukraine still have considerable disagreements over their peace terms.
