Trump Signals Land Concessions to End Ukraine War

US President to ‘Feel Out’ Putin in Alaska Summit Amid European Concerns

U.S. President Donald Trump indicated Monday that an end to the conflict in Ukraine would necessitate territorial concessions from both Kyiv and Moscow. His upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska is intended to gauge the possibility of a peace agreement.

Gauging Putin’s Intentions

Ahead of the Friday summit, European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are slated to confer with Trump. Concerns are mounting in Europe that Washington might impose peace terms detrimental to Ukraine’s sovereignty.

During a White House press briefing, Trump described the Alaska encounter as a preliminary session to assess Putin‘s readiness for peace.

“This is really a feel-out meeting. I’ll probably know in the first two minutes whether progress is possible. I may leave and say, ‘Good luck.’ And that’ll be the end. I may say, ‘This is not going to be settled.’”

—Donald Trump, U.S. President

Trump reiterated his intention to urge Putin to cease hostilities.

“I’m going in to speak to Vladimir Putin, and I’m going to be telling him, you’ve got to end this war. You’ve got to end it.”

—Donald Trump, U.S. President

The U.S. objective, Trump stated, is a swift ceasefire in the protracted conflict. He suggested that a future discussion might involve Zelenskyy, with plans to engage European leaders shortly after his dialogue with Putin.

European and Ukrainian Apprehensions

Despite Trump‘s recent toughened stance on Moscow, including permitting more U.S. arms to Ukraine and threatening tariffs on Russian oil imports, European officials remain wary of potential U.S. concessions that could jeopardize Ukraine’s security.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney emphasized in a Monday conversation that diplomatic efforts must be collaborative with Ukraine, not imposed upon it. This sentiment was echoed by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who warned against appeasing Moscow.

“The sequencing of the steps is important – first an unconditional ceasefire with a strong monitoring system and ironclad security guarantees.”

—Kaja Kallas, EU Foreign Policy Chief

Kallas confirmed the EU’s continued work on additional sanctions against Russia and increased military and financial aid for Ukraine. As of April 2024, the EU had implemented 13 sanction packages against Russia, cumulatively impacting key sectors of its economy (European Council).

Russia refuses to stop the killings, and therefore must not receive any rewards or benefits. Concessions to Russia do not persuade a killer. They are emboldened by them.

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy (@ZelenskyyUa) February 18, 2024

President Zelenskyy voiced his opposition to concessions, asserting that such actions do not deter aggression and instead embolden adversaries. He urged nations to maintain sanctions until Ukraine secures reliable safety assurances.