Ukraine, Macron after the Summit of the Willing: 'Putin does not want peace, but the capitulation of Kiev'. Trump-Zelensky bilateral to start in Washington

"If we do not show firmness with Russia today we are preparing tomorrow's conflicts" in Ukraine. This was said by French President Emmanuel Macron meeting the press after the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing ahead of tomorrow's meeting at the White House.

On the eve of the summit with Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders at the White House, Donald Trump has no official engagements and will spend the day playing golf at his club in Virginia. This was reported by journalists accompanying the US president.

"The meeting of the Western Coalition of the Willing for Ukraine has concluded, ahead of tomorrow's talks in Washington. I emphasised that in order for peace to be achieved, it is necessary to put pressure on the aggressor, not on the victim,' Polish Vice-Premier Radosław Sikorski said on X, sharing an image of himself connected by videoconference with the other leaders of the coalition along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The aim of today's meeting of the Coalition of the Willing is 'to completely clarify the security guarantees we want' for Ukraine, to prepare for the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tomorrow to Washington and 'how to organise the next meeting with President Putin, Ukraine, the United States and Europe'. This is what French President Emmanuel Macron says in some audio fragments of his introductory speech to the meeting via videoconference, to which he was connected from his summer residence at the fort of Brégançon. The video shows Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and from Brussels Zelensky together with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Marco Rubio says a ceasefire in Ukraine "is not excluded" after the summit in Alaska between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. In an interview with Nbc news the secretary of state emphasised that "the main goal is not a truce but peace".

"We need real negotiations, which means they can start from where the front line is now". This was emphasised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. "We need real negotiations, which means we can start from where the front line is now," he said. "A ceasefire is needed and work quickly on a final agreement," he reiterated.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin 'reached an agreement' to give Ukraine security guarantees along the lines of Nato's Article 5. The US president's special envoy Steve Witkoff said this in an interview with CNN.

"Russia continues to be unsuccessful in the Donetsk region. Putin has failed to conquer it in 12 years and the Constitution of Ukraine makes it impossible to cede territories or exchange territories". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in Brussels. "Since the territorial issue is so important, it should be discussed only by the leaders of Ukraine and Russia in the framework of the trilateral summit."

"The cession of Ukrainian territories will be discussed tomorrow at the White House" with Volodymyr Zelensky. This was said by Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff in an interview with CNN.

"So far Russia has given no signal that the trilateral will take place, and if Russia refuses, new sanctions will be necessary." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in Brussels, pointing out that he was ready for the three-way summit with Trump and Putin.

In the summit with Vladimir Putin Donald Trump obtained 'unprecedented security guarantees for the United States and Europe'. The US president's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said this in an interview with CNN. "Putin has assured us that he will not attack any other country or American assets once the peace agreement is finalised" with Ukraine.

"It is crucial that Europe is as united today as it was in the beginning, as it was in 2022 when the full-scale war broke out. This unity really contributes to the achievement of real peace and must remain strong'. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in Brussels.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels for a meeting with EU executive chairwoman Ursula von der Leyen, ahead of a video conference meeting with the Coalition of the Willing and a trip to Washington for a meeting tomorrow with US President Donald Trump

Mark Rutte, Nato's secretary general, will be in Washington tomorrow along with the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelesnky, and other European leaders (including von der Leyen, Merz and Macron) to attend the planned meeting with US President Donald Trump. "The secretary-general will attend a meeting organised by the US president," a note indicated.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will be in Washington tomorrow to attend the meeting with Donald Trump at the White House along with Volodymyr Zelensky, Ursula Von der Leyen and other European leaders.

'At the request of President Zelensky, I will attend the meeting with President Trump and other European leaders at the White House tomorrow'. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declares this on X. The participation will be in attendance in Washington, the Commission says.

Shopping centres and markets in Belgorod have suspended operations due to the threat of drone attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This was reported on his Telegram channel by the governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov. The news is reported by the Tass Agency.

According to Russian defence sources quoted by Tass, Ukrainian troops retreated after a failed counter-attack near the settlement of Sadki in the Sumy region. "In that area, fighters from an assault group of the Russian 80th Assault Brigade repelled a counter-attack by the Ukrainian army." Following the attacks, Ukrainian soldiers reportedly retreated with casualties. "A Marder infantry fighting vehicle was destroyed," the defence source said. Russian defence sources had earlier reported that the Ukrainian army had deployed 'a group of Polish mercenaries' in the area near Sadki. Some of them had reportedly 'terminated their contracts with the 132nd reconnaissance battalion of the Ukrainian army and abandoned their positions'.

Donald Trump wants to hold the trilateral summit with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky on 22 August, next Friday. This was reported by two informed sources to Axios' Washington correspondent Barak Ravid.

Ukraine mourns five victims of yesterday's clashes in Donetsk, which were particularly intense according to the Kiev General Staff. Two people were killed by Russian attacks in Raiske, two others in Svyatohirevka and one in Kostyantynivka. A total of four people were injured in Raiske, Belozerske, Mykolaivka and Sloviansk. The total number of people killed in the region officially amounts to 3,417, according to the Ukrainian General Staff, which speaks of almost 150 battles consumed on the front line yesterday. in particular, in the North-Slobozhansk and Kursk directions. Kiev records 13 Russian air attacks around Kursk, 7 in the direction of Slobozhansk, 17 in Kupjansk, 32 in the direction of Lyman, 51 towards Pokrovsky.

"Ukrainian troops are advancing in Sumy oblast," the Kiev General Staff quoted by Kyiv independent says. According to reports, the Ukrainian army has advanced about two kilometres into Sumy oblast, the day after Putin and Trump discussed an agreement that assumes, among other things, the ceding of unoccupied Ukrainian territories to Russia.

US President Donald Trump did not discuss the issue of the deployment of US troops in Ukraine with Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders, Nbc News reports citing sources. According to two senior administration officials and three sources familiar with the discussions, Trump spoke directly on the phone with Zelensky and European leaders early Saturday morning about US participation in a potential Nato-like security guarantee for Ukraine as part of an agreement reached with Russia.

Hillary Clinton has said that she would personally nominate President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize if he could negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine without Kiev having to cede territory. The former secretary of state and The Donald's rival in the 2016 presidential election explained to the Raging Moderates podcast that if Trump could convince Vladimir Putin to abide by a ceasefire, not trade territory with Ukraine, and withdraw troops from the battlefield, "I would nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize." Trump replied to Fox News: 'Well, she was very kind. I may have to start loving her again."

A series of documents with US State Department letterhead found on Friday morning in the mall of a hotel in Alaska reveal previously confidential and potentially sensitive details about the August summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Anchorage. This is reported by NPR, which reports on 'eight pages, which appear to have been produced by US personnel and accidentally forgotten', in which the 'precise locations and times of the summit and phone numbers of US government employees' were listed.

The papers were found around 9 a.m. on Friday by three guests of the Captain Cook Hotel, a four-star hotel located 20 minutes from the joint Elmendorf-Richardson base in Anchorage, where the leaders of the United States and Russia were meeting. The papers had been forgotten in one of the hotel's public printers. Npr examined photos of the papers taken by one of the guests.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting in the Kremlin on the outcome of the Russian-American negotiations in Alaska and emphasised that the discussion 'brings us closer to the necessary decisions'.

Vladimir Putin has asked Donald Trump for guarantees that Russian will again become the official language in Ukraine and for security guarantees for Russian Orthodox churches. The New York Times reports this, citing sources.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded that Ukraine withdraw from the eastern Donetsk region as a condition for ending the war in Russia, but told US President Donald Trump that he could freeze the rest of the front if his key demands were met, the Financial Times reported. Putin made the demand during his meeting with Trump in Alaska, the FT said, citing four people with direct knowledge of the talks.

Donald Trump will talk with Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday about exchanging territories with Russia. The New York Times reports this, citing sources who say European leaders have been invited to attend on Monday. "Trump has told European leaders to support a plan to end the war in Ukraine by ceding unconquered territory to Russia rather than attempting a ceasefire," writes the New York Times.

Trump, after his meeting with Vladimir Putin, abandoned his demand for an immediate ceasefire and - the New York Times reports - now believes it is possible to negotiate an early peace treaty on condition that Zelensky agrees to cede the rest of the Donbass, including areas not occupied by the Russians. In return, Putin has offered a ceasefire in the rest of Ukraine, along the current battle lines, and a written promise not to attack Ukraine or any other European country again. During the call with the Europeans, Trump did not mention imposing sanctions or economic pressure on Russia.

French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will bring together the countries of the Coalition of the Willing allies of Ukraine tomorrow via video conference. This is announced by the Elysée Palace. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will also connect, Palazzo Chigi announced.

"Based on the political and diplomatic situation in Ukraine, and knowing Russia's deceptions, we anticipate that in the coming days the Russian military may attempt to increase pressure and attacks against Ukrainian positions in order to create more favourable political circumstances for talks with global actors." Zelensky, in a post on X, warns that Russia may attempt to intensify attacks in the coming days. He adds: 'Of course, we will react if necessary. I have asked the Commander-in-Chief to talk to combat commanders. Ukraine needs strong positions and really tangible resistance to the enemy'.

Trump's determination for a peace deal 'is crucial'. "The harsh reality is that Russia has no intention of ending this war any time soon. Even as the delegations met, Russia launched new attacks on Ukraine. Putin continues to drag out the negotiations and hopes to get away with it. He left Anchorage without committing himself to ending the massacres. The US has the power to force Russia to negotiate seriously'. "Moscow will not end the war until it realises that it cannot continue." This was said by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas in a written statement to the media.

"The coming days will show whether the big players in the Union will support this process... or whether the failed European strategy of trying to weaken Russia through this conflict with all kinds of incredible financial, political or military assistance to Kiev will continue." This was said by the Slovak prime minister, Robert Fico, in a statement recorded on Facebook and picked up by the Guardian. Fico has distanced himself from most Western allies by visiting Moscow twice since last year and refusing to provide military aid to Ukraine.

Overnight, while Putin and Trump were discussing in Alaska, Ukrainian anti-aircraft defences shot down or jammed 61 Russian drones out of at least 85 launched on Ukrainian territory, while 24 drones were reported to have hit 12 locations. This was revealed by the Kiev Air Force, quoted by Ukrinform and other media, also mentioning the launch of a Russian Iskander-M ballistic missile, without specifying whether it was successful. The affected regions, Kiev says, are those of Donetsk (in the Donbass), Sumy, Chernihiv and Dnipropetrovsk.

The United States has offered Ukraine 'security guarantees' similar to those of NATO but without membership of the Atlantic Alliance. This was reported by diplomatic sources after a phone call between Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders. "As one of the security guarantees for Ukraine, the American side proposed a guarantee similar to an Article 5 outside Nato, presumably agreed with Putin," the source said.

"Today, following a conversation with President Trump, we further coordinated positions with European leaders. The positions are clear. A real, lasting peace must be achieved, and not just another pause between Russian invasions." This was said by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a post on X, reiterating that "all important issues for Ukraine must be discussed with Ukraine's participation, and no issue, especially territorial ones, can be decided without Ukraine." Zelensky wrote that the killing 'must stop as soon as possible, the firing must stop both on the battlefield and in the sky, as well as against our port infrastructure. All Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians must be freed, and children kidnapped by Russia must be returned. Thousands of our fellow citizens remain in captivity: they must all return home'. For the Ukrainian president, 'the pressure on Russia must be maintained as long as the aggression and occupation continues'.

Progress but still no agreement on Ukraine and no mention of a ceasefire or a trilateral summit with Volodymir Zelensky. It is in Donald Trump's words the summary of the almost three-hour meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska: 'There is no agreement until there is agreement', the pun used by the US president. A few hours after the meeting came the first reactions from Italian politics.

The Italian government is closely following the dossier. After the phone call with Trump about the US president's meeting with Putin, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni participated in a call with Zelensky and other EU leaders.

"As long as the killings in Ukraine continue, we are prepared to continue to put pressure on Russia. We will continue to strengthen sanctions and broader economic measures to put pressure on Russia's war economy until there is a just and lasting peace." European leaders say this in their joint statement after the summit in Alaska between Donald Trump and Putin. "Ukraine can count on our unwavering solidarity as we work for a peace that safeguards Ukraine's and Europe's vital security interests," it reads. "Our support for Ukraine will continue.

"I consider it positive that glimmers of peace are opening up in Ukraine. Agreement is still complicated but finally possible, especially after the stalemate that has been going on for many months along the front line. Only Ukraine will be able to negotiate on terms and on its own territories'. Premier Giorgia Meloni said this in a statement after the meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

We are ready to work with President Trump and President Zelensky to organise a trilateral summit with the support of Europe'. This reads a joint statement signed by Council President Giorgia Meloni, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and European Council President Antonio Costa. "The leaders welcomed President Trump's efforts to stop the killings in Ukraine, end Russia's war of aggression and achieve a just and lasting peace.

As President Trump has said, 'there is no deal until there is a deal'," the statement begins, and "As President Trump envisages, the next step must now be further talks with President Zelensky, whom he will meet soon."

No restrictions should be imposed on Ukraine's armed forces or its cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot have veto power over Ukraine's path towards the EU and NATO. It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory,' the European leaders said in the joint statement.

The Moscow Defence Ministry claimed the capture of a new village, Vorone, in the Dnipropetrovsk region, which is not among those claimed by Russia as its territory. The ministry added that Russian forces also took control of another village, Kolodezi, in the Donetsk region.

Trump to Zelensky, Putin wants global agreement not truce

Donald Trump said in the phone call with Voloymyr Zelensky and Nato leaders that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want a ceasefire but prefers a comprehensive agreement to end the war in Ukraine. Axios journalist Barak Ravid writes this on X, citing a source present on the call. "I think a quick peace agreement is better than a ceasefire," Trump himself said according to the source, who called the phone call with the Ukrainian leader and that of Nato "not easy".

"We are working together with Volodymir Zelensky, the European allies and the United States to find a just and lasting peace" in Ukraine, Finland's President Alexander Stubb said reporting on a meeting with European leaders in the morning. Stubb thanked US President Trump "for referring us to the discussions in Alaska". 'Decisive and credible security guarantees for Ukraine are a crucial element for a sustainable peace,' he then wrote in a post on X.

"President Zelensky will come to Washington, to the Oval Office, on Monday afternoon. If all goes well, we will schedule a meeting with President Putin. Potentially, millions of lives will be saved': thus US President Donald Trump, on his social Truth.

"The meeting with Putin 'went very well, as did the late night phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky and several European leaders, including the NATO Secretary General. They all agreed that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to come directly to a peace agreement, which would end the war, and not a simple ceasefire, which often does not hold". President Donald Trump writes this on Truth.

Commenting on Telegram about the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, quoted by Tass, said that 'the Western media are in a state of frenzy, which is turning into outright madness: for three years they have been reporting that Russia was isolated, and today they have seen a red carpet rolled out to welcome the Russian president to the US'.

Donald Trump said in the phone call with Volodymyr Zelensky and Nato leaders that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want a ceasefire but prefers a comprehensive agreement to end the war in Ukraine. Axios journalist Barak Ravid writes this on X, citing a source present on the call. "I think a quick peace agreement is better than a ceasefire," Trump himself said according to the source, who called the phone call with the Ukrainian leader and that of Nato "not easy"

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump deserve recognition for organising the summit in Alaska. This was stated by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjartó. "The world will be safer as long as there is a high-level dialogue between the US and Russia and both presidents deserve recognition for organising this summit," the Hungarian minister wrote on Facebook.

According to Szijjártó, the summit proved once again that the conflict in Ukraine can only be resolved at the negotiating table. "Peace can only be achieved through negotiation, dialogue and by keeping diplomatic channels open. We Hungarians have been defending this position for three and a half years, openly denouncing Brussels and the warmongering European politicians," he emphasised.

"On Monday I will meet President Trump in Washington DC, to discuss all the details related to ending the killing and the war. I am grateful for the invitation,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X after being informed by the US president about the outcome of the summit with Putin in Alaska. "We support President Trump's proposal for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the US and Russia. Ukraine emphasises that key issues can be discussed at the level of leaders and that a trilateral format is suitable for this purpose," Zelensky added.

US President Donald Trump informed EU leaders of the results of his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. This was stated by the EU Commission spokesman.

'Disgusting, shameful and, in the end, pointless' is how the summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin is judged by the Ukrainian newspaper Kyiv Independent in an editorial that opens the site, recalling the treatment with all honours reserved for the tsar in contrast to the humiliation reserved for Volodymyr Zelensky in February at the White House. The lesson from this, he writes, is that 'Putin doesn't make deals, he just takes'. "Trump," reads the Kyiv Independent, "did not get what he wanted. But Putin? He certainly did. From the moment he stepped off the plane onto US soil, the Russian dictator was beaming. No longer an international pariah, he was finally gaining the acceptance and respect of the leader of the free world. Trump's predecessor had once called Putin 'a murderer'; Trump instead offered him a royal welcome. Trump welcomed Putin with a red carpet, warm handshakes, a flyover of US bombers, and a limo ride in the back seat. 'The friendly attitude,' it further reads, 'was in stark contrast to Trump's hostile reception of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office six months earlier. The Ukrainian president was publicly humiliated. The Russian one was spoiled. Both episodes were shameful. 'Trump,' the Ukrainian newspaper's commentary continues, 'seemed to believe that a warm meeting might placate Putin and make a ceasefire more likely. But there is one lesson Trump has not yet learned: the Russian leader does not make deals, he takes. He takes what is offered, and then he takes again, and keeps taking until he is stopped by force. This is the Russian art of the deal'.

EU ambassadors will meet this morning at 9.30am to discuss the outcome of the summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin and to take stock of EU-US trade relations and the tariffs dossier.

"We took note of Friday's summit in Alaska between the US President and the President of the Russian Federation. We welcome the continuation of the constructive dialogue between member states". This was stated to Tass by the spokesman for the UN Secretary General, Stephane Dujarric. The UN reiterates its call for an 'immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire as a first step towards a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace in Ukraine, fully respecting sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, within internationally recognised borders, in line with the UN Charter, international law and UN resolutions. The United Nations stands ready to support all efforts to this end'.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in the car together. The two leaders boarded a limousine waiting for them at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson airport. The two, caught on camera, appeared very smiling.

Handshake between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. The Kremlin leader was greeted by the US president as he stepped off the presidential plane. The meeting is the first between Putin and an American president since Putin met Joe Biden in Geneva in 2021. The handshake took place on the red carpet set up for Putin.

Trump steps off Air Force One for meeting with Putin

Il Presidente degli Stati Uniti Donald Trump cammina su un tappeto rosso sulla pista dopo essere sceso dall'Air Force One all'arrivo alla Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson di Anchorage, in Alaska, il 15 agosto 2025. Il presidente russo Vladimir Putin è arrivato in una base militare in Alaska il 15 agosto per un vertice con il suo omologo statunitense Donald Trump sul conflitto in Ucraina. L'incontro alla Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson sarà il primo del leader del Cremlino sul suolo occidentale da prima del febbraio 2022, quando la Russia lanciò la sua devastante invasione su larga scala dell'Ucraina. (Foto di ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)

The US is considering the threat of sanctions against Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil as part of options to push Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire over Ukraine. This was reported by Bloomberg news agency, citing sources who said that other options include restrictions on Moscow's shadow fleet and further tariffs on those who buy Russian crude oil, including from China.

Today's meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, is the seventh face-to-face meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, and the first in Trump's second term in the White House. The New York Times traced a chronology of the relations and previous meetings between the US president and the Russian leader over the years.

Vladimir Putin arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson,in Alaska, for the summit with US President Donald Trump. The arrival of the Russian president aboard an Iliushin-96 was confirmed after initial reports of the landing were later denied,On the runway, the presidential car Aurus was prepared for Putin's arrival, as was the American presidential Cadillac.

Ukraine has recaptured six villages in a strategic eastern sector, which Russian units had captured in the past few days during a particularly rapid advance. This was announced by a Ukrainian army corps just before the meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The 1st Azov National Guard Corps said Ukrainian troops had managed to 'stop the enemy advance' in the area of Pokrovsk, the mining town epicentre of the fighting, and that six villages had been recaptured.

Donald Trump meets with Alaska's governor and the state's senators in anticipation of Vladimir Putin, who has not yet landed in Anchorage. This is reported by US media citing White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will not be alone in their bilateral but will have three advisers each beside them. Cnn reports this, citing White House sources. With the US president will be Steve Witkoff, Marco Rubio and another close adviser.

Donald Trump has landed in Anchorage, where he will shortly meet Vladimir Putin.

A stage with two podiums, flanked by the American and Russian flags and with the words 'Pursuing Peace' in the background, has been set up in preparation for a possible joint press conference between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, scheduled at the end of their meeting. Journalists are waiting for the leaders in temporary tents resembling plastic igloos outside the Arctic Warrior Events Center on the Elmendorf-Richardson joint military base, reports the Wall Street Journal. The Russian media were initially separated from the US press for security reasons, but now all reporters are gathered inside the base, with some engaged in live links from the press room.

Unusual offer by Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump. If the US president reached an agreement to end the war in Ukraine without ceding territory to Moscow, the former secretary of state and Democratic nominee for the White House said, she would propose Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. "I would propose him for the Nobel Peace Prize," Clinton told the 'Raging Moderates' podcast.

"I want a ceasefire quickly. I don't know it will be today, but I won't be happy if it's not today." Donald Trump said this on Air Force One, according to the video posted on X by Rapid Response 47, the account launched by Trump's White House against fake news.

"I think" the meeting with Vladimir Putin "will go well and if it doesn't go well, I'm going to go home very quickly", "I'm going to walk out" of the summit. Donald Trump said this in an interview with Fox from Air Force One.

"The meeting between President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, should be fruitful enough to discuss the idea of a trilateral meeting with Vladimir Zelensky afterwards," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Channel One. Asked how the summit in Alaska between the two leaders should end so that trilateral talks could be discussed, Peskov said: 'It should be effective. Tass reports.

"I want to see a ceasefire, I wouldn't be happy if it wasn't right away." US President Donald Trump said this, according to Reuters news agency, referring to the war in Ukraine. "Europe doesn't tell me what to do," he added. ''I don't know what would make this summit a success,'' he concluded.

The talks with Trump will cover all aspects of US-Russian relations, instead of focusing only on Ukraine. This was stated by Kirill Dmitriev, the Kremlin's special envoy for economic cooperation, according to international media reports. From Anchorage, Dmitriev emphasised that the Russian delegation 'is ready for action'.

Keith Kellogg, Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, will not attend the US president's Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin. Cnn reports. Kellogg is perceived by Russia as too pro-Ukraine and his presence at the meeting would be counterproductive, according to an administration official.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Moscow continues to kill people and is not showing that it is preparing to end the war, just hours before the start of the summit between the Russian and US presidents in Alaska. "There is no order, no signal from Moscow that it is preparing to end this war... they are killing even on the day of negotiations," Zelensky said in a video message posted on social media.

Tension is growing in the staff of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of the start of the summit in Alaska between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. According to sources in Kiev told the Financial Times, the Ukrainian leader's closest aides fear being excluded from a negotiation that could directly affect the country's future. One senior official called Trump's intentions "very ambiguous". "He says he wants peace, but he is not willing to take the necessary steps to achieve it," he added. For Kiev, the best possible outcome would be a 60-day unconditional ceasefire that would guarantee a break from Russian bombings and offensives, allowing for coordination with Washington.

Talks between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin could last at least six to seven hours. This was indicated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to the Ria Novosti news agency.

On his way to Anchorage, Alaska for his summit with Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin stopped in Magadan, in Russia's Far East, according to Russian state news agency Interfax. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the stop included meetings with the regional governor and a stop to lay flowers at a World War II memorial honouring Soviet-U.S. aviation cooperation. Magadan is an interesting choice for Putin's stopover before continuing on to Anchorage and certainly sends a message. Sentiment towards Russia in Alaska has cooled since Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022: the Anchorage Assembly voted unanimously to suspend the 30-year twinning with Magadan and the Juneau Assembly sent a letter to its twin city Vladivostok expressing concern.

Donald Trump will welcome Vladimir Putin on his arrival when the Russian president's plane lands in Alaska. This was made known by the Kremlin, explaining that the aircraft carrying Putin is expected to land on US soil at 9pm Italian time. "President Trump will be there to welcome him," explains Kremlin spokesman Dimityri Peskov.

It was a cool and rainy day in Anchorage, Alaska, where in a few hours the Elmendorf-Richardson military base will host the expected summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Shortly before 3 a.m. local time on Friday a storm hit Anchorage and in the early hours of the morning the temperature was around 12 degrees Celsius. Media from around the world flocked to the summit. Outside the main gate of the base, the media prepared for the day and sent live pictures to the television networks.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko spoke on the phone with US President Donald Trump, just hours before the scheduled start of the summit in Alaska. "I had a wonderful conversation with the President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko. The purpose of the call was to thank him for the release of 16 prisoners. We are also discussing the release of another 1,300 prisoners. Our conversation was very interesting. We discussed many topics, including Putin's visit to Alaska. I look forward to meeting him in the future, Trump wrote on his social Truth as he is flying to Alaska for his meeting with Vladimir Putin.

Russia launched a ballistic missile into the Ukrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk, injuring at least one person and causing a fire, according to the regional governor. The attack came just hours before a planned summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss a ceasefire agreement for Ukraine.

The meeting in Alaska 'should open a concrete path to a just peace and a substantive discussion between the leaders in a trilateral format. It is time to end the war and Russia must take the necessary steps. We are counting on America. We are ready, as always, to work'. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says this on X.

"The stakes are really high. What is crucial is that this meeting opens a real path to a just peace and a substantive discussion between the leaders in a trilateral format - Ukraine, the US and Russia. It is time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America. We are ready, as always, to work as productively as possible'. This is what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says in a message on X in reference to tonight's meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska. This morning, the US president had posted a short message on his social Truth in which he declared that 'the stakes are high'. This message was echoed by Zelensky who emphasised that the stakes are high for his country.

The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, 'wants a slice' of the US economy and business. "I've noticed that he's bringing a lot of businessmen from Russia, and that's good, I like that, because they want to do business, but we're not going to do business until we solve the war." This was stated by US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters on board Air Force One which is taking him to Alaska.

The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, 'wants a slice' of the US economy and business. "I've noticed that he's bringing a lot of businessmen from Russia, and that's good, I like that, because they want to do business, but we're not going to do business until we solve the war." This was stated by US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters on board Air Force One which is taking him to Alaska.

UK Defence Minister John Healey stated that the British government is 'ready to put British troops on the ground' in Ukraine if a ceasefire is reached during the meeting in Alaska between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Healey said the so-called 'Coalition of the Willing' is ready to act 'from day one' of a ceasefire to help secure peace in Ukraine. "In the event of a ceasefire, we are ready to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine," Healey told the BBC. "They are ready to go, ready to act from day one." Healey said that questions about what British forces in Ukraine would do in the event of a new Russian attack were "speculation", but stressed that, in principle, "any British force has the right to defend itself if attacked".

Air Force One with US President Donald Trump on board took off from Andrews base to head to Alaska where the summit with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin will take place.

With regard to the summit between the US president and the Kremlin leader, "all options remain on the table, including the option that Donald Trump abandons the summit if he thinks Vladimir Putin is not serious about making a deal", a senior US administration official was quoted by CNN as saying. The White House, however, says it is 'cautiously optimistic' about the outcome of the confrontation.

Ahead of tonight's Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, held new telephone talks with Volodymyr Zelensky, according to information from the Elysée Palace, until the final hours of this morning. "President Macron and President Zelensky," the Elysée stated, "agreed to meet at a convenient time after the summit in Alaska. No date or place for this meeting was specified.

The White House has announced who is on the 16-person delegation that will accompany President Donald Trump to Alaska for the summit with Vladimir Putin on Ukraine. On the list are Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, among others.

"High stakes". US President Donald Trump writes this on Truth opening with the message, all in capital letters, "HIGH STAKES!!!" the day of the summit with Vladimir Putin on Ukraine in Anchorage.

"If Trump can convince Putin to stop the fighting, he will be the winner of this summit. If he can't, Putin will be". This is the opinion of Alexander Baunov, a former Russian diplomat and researcher at the Carnegie Eurasia Center in Berlin, in an interview with Adnkronos ahead of the summit in Alaska between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. A summit that, according to Baunov, is a diplomatic showcase for the Russian president who will seek partial concessions, an easing of sanctions and international recognition of Russia as a great power. For the author of the essay 'The End of the Regime: The Fall of Three European Dictatorships and the Fate of Putin's Russia' (Silvio Berlusconi Editore), "Trump has invested a lot of his reputation inviting Putin to the US, so they will at least have to present something that looks like an outcome. It doesn't mean they will arrive at a definitive, long-term solution, but at something sufficient to justify meeting and inviting Putin and a high-level Russian delegation'. Putin, the Russian analyst continues, will take advantage of the summit to convince Trump of the correctness of his 'special military operation' and 'to convince him in person that he was right, to explain his truth and his view of things, as he has already done on the phone. But this time he wants to get something more specific'.

Baunov identifies three main objectives of Moscow. "The first concerns sanctions. The Russian economy has resisted, but there are signs that it is reaching its limit. This war is much more a matter of money than others: Russian soldiers fight for money and a steady flow of funds is needed to continue the war effort'. The second point, he adds, 'is the re-establishment of relations in other areas. The aggression against Ukraine interrupted almost all cooperative relations between Russia and the West. Putin wants to reopen some political and economic relations with the United States, lift sanctions and re-establish some diplomatic normality, so as to facilitate an international normalisation of Russia'. The third goal, according to the analyst, is to gain international recognition. "The war is also about reversing the outcome of the Cold War and returning Russia to superpower status, and Washington remains the symbolic centre of this recognition."

"Even today, unfortunately, we still feel powerless in the face of rampant violence in the world that is increasingly deaf and insensitive to every movement of humanity. Yet we must not give up hope. God is greater than the sin of men. We must not resign ourselves to the prevailing logic of conflict and weapons'. Thus Pope Leo XIV at the end of the recitation of the Angelus at Castel Gandolfo just hours before the start of the summit between Trump and Putin on the conflict in Ukraine.

Further reading

The Pope: let us not resign ourselves to the logic of weapons, peacemakers the joy of the Church

15 August 2025

Yulia Navalnaya urged Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump to reach an agreement to free Russian and Ukrainian political prisoners arrested by Moscow for expressing their opposition to the war in Ukraine. "Free Russian political activists and journalists, Ukrainian civilians, those imprisoned for anti-war statements and posts on social media," the widow of Alexei Navalny, who died in a Russian prison last year, said in a video message circulated on social media.

Yulia Navalnaya

Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Magadan, a city in Russia's Far East district, where he is making a stopover before departing for Alaska, where he will meet Donald Trump in the evening. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by the Ria Novosti news agency, said Putin is scheduled to visit local industrial plants and meet with the governor, Serghei Nosov, before embarking for Anchorage.

"The Italian Ambassador Carlo Formosa met the new Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Taras Kachka. The talks focused on Ukraine's European and Euro-Atlantic path. Italy's support for the reform processes undertaken by Kiev to bring it up to European standards, instrumental in advancing on the path to European membership, was reaffirmed. In-depth discussion of issues relating to NATO's technical and financial support in Ukraine". This was announced on X by the Italian Embassy in Kiev.

Ukrainian drones struck a Russian oil refinery in the southern region of Samara and the city of Kursk, near the border, on the night between Thursday and Friday, killing one person. This was stated by the Ukrainian General Staff on Telegram. The refinery, located more than 800km from the Ukrainian border, is presented by Kiev as the "most important in the Rosneft system", one of Russia's leading oil extraction, processing and distribution companies. "It produces a wide range of fuels, including for aviation," and "participates in the supply of the Russian armed forces," the General Staff said. Images circulated on social media this morning, described as coming from Syzran but not verified, showed large columns of smoke rising from burning industrial complexes. According to the governor of this region on the border with Ukraine, another Ukrainian drone attack killed a woman in the Russian city of Kursk.

"I hope that no hasty decisions will be reached in Alaska so that a solution can be found that satisfies all parties, especially the Ukrainian one". Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said this in an interview with CNN yesterday. "Territorial concessions would only be a reward granted to Russia," Rinkevics further said. President Trump and his administration have, however, shown in recent days that they understand the complexity and difficulty of the situation.

The Russian and US delegations will certainly discuss economics during the summit in Alaska, but the main issue is to resolve the political issues. This was emphasised by Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, who is part of Moscow's delegation to the summit, upon his arrival in Anchorage. "We hope for a positive outcome. The priority is to resolve political issues, but we will certainly also talk about the economy," Siluanov said in a comment posted on journalist Pavel Zarubin's Telegram channel.

The USSR is also popping up in the summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, who are to meet in Alaska tonight. In the Russian president's delegation is the foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, who made his entrance in a surprising outfit. Lavrov showed up at the Anchorage base wearing a sweatshirt with a huge 'Cccp' inscription, the initials of the defunct USSR in Cyrillic characters. A nod to the Cold War, evidently, in an event that may mark a turning point in negotiations to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Lavrov in Alaska con la felpa dell’Unione Sovietica

The historic summit in Anchorage, Alaska, between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will begin at 9pm Italian time. This was reported by the White House in the official programme of Trump's mission, setting the start time of the summit half an hour earlier than the Kremlin announced yesterday. According to the schedule, the US president will leave the White House at 12.45pm Italian time and begin the bilateral with Putin at 9pm. Trump will leave Anchorage at 3.45am Italian time and return to the White House at 10.35am tomorrow.

"We can hope that it will represent a turning point and that, after this meeting, a real negotiation can begin between Russia and Ukraine, between Putin and Zelensky. This is what we must hope for. We need to understand whether this result can be the fruit of this first meeting, which is something else'. Thus Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, interviewed by Qn on the Anchorage summit in Alaska.

And to those who ask him on whom the outcome of the meeting depends, he replies: 'On Putin. I don't know how willing he will be to listen to Trump's demands and how much he wants to reach a ceasefire to end the war quickly. The question, then, is not so much what Trump will ask for, but what Putin will be willing to accept. The ball is in his court. It is he who must say whether he wants dialogue, whether he wants the meeting with Zelensky or not. This is the key to the meeting and it will be seen from how Trump responds to his true willingness to want to end the war. It seems to me, on the other hand, that Russia at this stage is trying to gain as much ground as possible'.

The Ukrainian army claimed to have struck the Russian port of Olya, in the southern region of Astrakhan. The attack, conducted overnight, allegedly targeted a ship loaded with drone parts and ammunition sent from Iran. Russia uses the port as an important logistical hub for the supply of military equipment, the Ukrainian military pointed out in a note.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un praised Pyongyang's solidarity with Russia as an "infinite power" in his first public speech on the occasion of the Korean Peninsula's Liberation Day from Japanese colonial rule from 1910-45, exactly 80 years ago. Kim, who made no reference to relations with South Korea or the US, spoke at a celebratory event held on Thursday at the Triumphal Arch Square in Pyongyang, in the presence of a "large delegation of Russian guests", Kcna reported.

This is the first time the supreme leader has delivered a public speech on the solemn anniversary of 15 August. "Today, the friendship between North Korea and Russia has developed into an unprecedented alliance, becoming increasingly solid in the context of their joint struggle to curb the resurgence of neo-Nazism and safeguard international sovereignty, security and justice," he added. The two countries are also 'making history' in their struggle for world peace and stability, stressing that 'the power of solidarity between North Korea and Russia, forged by sublime ideas and genuine friendship, is infinite'.

In Anchorage a sunny August and a mild temperature of 17 degrees. An ideal day for tourism, given Alaska's standards. But the city is hosting the summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, so tourists must arm themselves with patience. Telling them, in no uncertain terms, is the city's tourism website, which urges visitors, residents and businesses to 'be prepared and be patient'.

The city is armoured. Arriving and departing very complicated. The Federal Aviarion Administration has closed the airspace within a radius of about 50 kilometres, up to 5,500 metres. Ted Stevens Airport, the international airport, has warned of delays and flight changes. Those who have to travel have to deal with it. Disruption to city life as well, with the authorities even urging restaurateurs to stock up on provisions. Hotels are doing a brisk business. Finding a free room is a treasure hunt. Literally. On Booking.com the only availability is a hostel dorm at $133 a night.

Russia expects a return visit from US President Donald Trump after the upcoming summit between the two leaders in Alaska on 15 August, Rodion Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry's special envoy for Kiev regime crimes, told Tass in an interview.

Asked whether Trump might visit Russia, Miroshnik said: 'If the Russian leader visits the US, we expect the US president to visit Russia in turn. This is logical and underlines the development and expansion of relations between Russia and the US, as the ties between the two major geopolitical powers do not only concern Ukraine'.

Moscow will clearly state its position at the Russian-American talks in Alaska, and much has already been done in this regard during the visits of US special envoy Steve Witkoff: this was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Serghiei Lavrov, as reported by the Tass news agency. 'We know we have arguments and our position is clear and precise. We will explain it," he told the Rossiya-24 TV channel. "Much has already been done here during Steve Witkoff's visits. The president has already spoken about it. Witkoff spoke on behalf of President Donald Trump. We hope to continue this very useful conversation" in Alaska, the minister said. Tass recalls that yesterday Russian presidential advisor Yury Ushakov said that the meeting between Putin and Trump will be opened by a one-to-one conversation, in which, apart from the leaders, only interpreters will take part. The central theme of the meeting will be the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis, but Putin and Trump will also address 'broader issues of ensuring peace and security, as well as the current most pressing international and regional issues'.

Vladimir Putin wrote a letter to Kim Jong-un calling the North Korean troops fighting on the front lines in Ukraine alongside Moscow 'heroic'. On the anniversary of Korea's National Liberation Day, the Russian president recalled that Red Army units and Koreans fought together to end the Japanese occupation of the peninsula. "The ties of militant friendship, goodwill and mutual assistance, established during the war long ago, remain strong and reliable today," Putin said in a letter revealed by North Korean state media. "This was fully demonstrated by the heroic participation of the PRC (North Korea's official name) soldiers in the liberation of the territory of the Kursk region from the Ukrainian occupiers," he said, according to the Kcna news agency. "The Russian people will forever remember their courage and sacrifice." Putin added that the two countries will continue to "act jointly and effectively defend their sovereignty, contributing significantly to the creation of a just and multipolar world order". Russia and North Korea have recently strengthened their ties, with the signing of a mutual defence pact last year during a visit by the Russian president to the country. In April, North Korea confirmed for the first time that it had deployed a contingent of its soldiers on the front line in Ukraine, alongside Russian troops.

Russia should agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine when Vladimir Putin meets Donald Trump in Alaska, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said just hours before the summit. Merz said the meeting between Trump and Putin offered an "opportunity" for peace and called on Putin to drop all preconditions for a ceasefire and then meet his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. "The goal must be a summit in which President Zelensky also participates. A ceasefire must be agreed on that occasion. Ukraine needs solid security guarantees. Territorial issues can only be decided with the consent of the Ukrainians," he stressed.

One woman was killed and 10 others injured overnight following a Ukrainian drone attack on a residential building in the Russian city of Kursk, just hours before the summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, the region's governor announced on Telegram. "An enemy drone attacked during the night a building" in a district of Kursk, wrote the governor of the region of the same name, Alexander Khinshtein, adding that the upper floors of the building caught fire. The victim was 45 years old and among the injured was a 15-year-old boy, he pointed out. Several neighbouring buildings and a school were damaged.

Alaskans are demonstrating in solidarity with Ukraine across the state ahead of today's meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, US media report. At least 16 demonstrations are planned through Saturday, from Fairbanks to Kodiak to Ketchikan, writes the non-profit news network States Newsroom. "Our main goal is to communicate our solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, to let them know that we have watched in horror as they invaded Ukraine more than three years ago," said Nicole Collins, an organiser of the Ketchikan Mayday for Democracy group, which organised a vigil on Thursday night to show support for Ukraine.

"The position of Ukraine and our partners on the road to peace is clear and principled: it cannot be defined without Ukraine and negotiations can only be productive after a ceasefire is reached": this was written on X by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on the eve of the summit between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Yesterday Trump stated that an immediate ceasefire is unlikely, stressing that he is more 'interested in an immediate peace'.

"No one desires peace more than Ukrainians. Nobody desires peace more than Europeans. But Russia sees its own purpose in waging war. Russia prefers to build new walls on our road to a just and lasting peace. It wants to seal our freedom,' he added. "However, the transatlantic unity of democracies is stronger than Russian imperialism. And it is through our shared transatlantic strength that we can achieve a decent peace based on reliable security," he concluded.