Putin and Trump in Alaska 15/8:
Last Friday, the two presidents met for the first time since 2019 at a military base in Anchorage, Alaska.
The meeting lasted for just under three hours, without the presidents reaching a peace agreement for Ukraine. Donald Trump has described the meeting as both constructive and successful. He has also said that "it is now up to Zelenskyj".
After the meeting, the Russian president warned Ukraine and its allies, including the EU, against creating obstacles on the path to peace. He also claimed that Russia is genuinely interested in ending the conflict.
According to the US envoy Steve Witkoff, Vladimir Putin made some concessions regarding territorial withdrawals in Ukraine. Witkoff also claims that Putin, during the meeting with Trump, agreed to American security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a potential peace agreement. Russia has not commented on Witkoff's statements. Trump is said to have proposed a guarantee inspired by NATO's Article 5, which would allow Ukraine to receive help from its allies, including the US, if the country is attacked by Russia again.
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Zelenskyj in meeting with von der Leyen 17/8:
On Sunday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyj traveled to Brussels to meet with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
After the meeting, the two held a brief press conference where the EU's support for Zelenskyj and Ukraine was clear. Both von der Leyen and Zelenskyj stated that a peace agreement must include security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe.
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Video conference with the "coalition of the willing" 17/8:
The meeting was held digitally and took place on Sunday afternoon.
Among the participants were, among others, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also participated in the video conference.
During the conference, the upcoming meeting between Trump and Zelenskyj was discussed. Topics that were raised included an immediate ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, as well as joint security guarantees.
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Summit in Washington 18/8:
On Monday, Donald Trump will receive Volodymyr Zelenskyj and several other European leaders at the White House. The meeting was announced shortly after Friday's meeting in Alaska.
Among the participants are the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. President Zelenskyj stated that he arrived in Washington during the night towards Monday, Swedish time.
Just like at the previous meetings, security guarantees for Ukraine are expected to be an important issue on the agenda.
During the night towards Monday, Donald Trump stated on his platform Truth Social that Ukraine will neither get back Crimea nor be allowed to join NATO. He also wrote that Zelenskyj can end the war "almost immediately, if he wants to".
