 "US President Donald Trump, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. File image/AP")
The White House is considering inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Alaska, where President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin next week, NBC News reported, citing senior US officials.
“It’s being discussed,” one source told NBC News, while another said it was “absolutely” possible. “Everyone is very hopeful that would happen,” the official added.
No visit has been confirmed, and it remains unclear whether Zelenskyy would join the Alaska meetings. Asked if an invitation had been extended, a senior White House official said, “The president remains open to a trilateral summit with both leaders. Right now, the White House is focused on planning the bilateral meeting requested by President Putin.”
Trump announced Friday that he will meet Putin on August 15 in Alaska to push for a Ukraine ceasefire. Initially, the White House made a Putin–Zelenskyy meeting a precondition for the summit, but Trump later said it was not required. Even if Zelenskyy attends, it is uncertain whether he and Putin would meet directly.
The diplomatic push follows a visit to Moscow by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff ahead of Trump’s Friday deadline for Putin to agree to a ceasefire or face new sanctions. Putin has so far resisted, offering instead a deal that would allow Russia to retain large swathes of Ukrainian territory. Zelenskyy rejected the idea on Saturday, vowing that Ukrainians “will not give their land to occupiers.”
Trump, however, hinted at possible concessions, saying Friday that “there’ll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both.” US officials are now working to rally Ukrainian and European backing for a potential ceasefire plan.