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Nato ambassador says decision to invite Ukrainian leader to summit entirely Trump’s
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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky could participate in this week’s US-Russia summit in Alaska, America’s ambassador to Nato suggested.
Asked whether Zelensky could meet US president Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, ambassador Matthew Whitaker said, “Yes, I certainly think it’s possible.
“The decision to invite Zelensky was entirely Trump’s, Whitaker said, adding that “if he thinks that is the best scenario to invite Zelensky, then he will do that”.
US vice president JD Vance earlier said Putin and Zelensky would be “forced” to meet by Trump.
However, he dismissed calls from European leaders to allow the Ukrainian president to attend the summit meeting on Friday, saying it would not be “productive” at this point.
European leaders, including Keir Starmer, jointly welcomed the move towards peace on Saturday but warned that any negotiations should see Ukraine represented and they must not permit any land to be ceded to Russia.
The statement came after Trump suggested the deal might involve “some swapping of territories”, an idea Zelensky was quick to reject.
At least two people died in the Tula region as a result of a Ukrainian drone attack that also targeted Moscow and other regions, Russia’s defence ministry and regional officials said late last night.
Two people were also hospitalised following the attack on Tula , governor Dmitry Milyaev said.
The defence ministry said its air defence units destroyed 27 Ukrainian drones within a span of three hours late on Sunday, including 11 over the Tula region, one over the Moscow region and the rest over four other regions in Russia’s south and west.
US President Donald Trump has signalled that Ukraine might have to give up territory to end the war with Russia as he prepares to meet Vladimir Putin for peace talks.
Announcing the talks with the Russian president, set to take place in Alaska on Friday, Mr Trump said: “There will be some swapping of territories”.
The White House is reportedly trying to sway European leaders to accept an agreement that would include Russia taking the entire Donbas region in eastern Ukraine and keeping Crimea. In exchange, it would give up the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, areas which Russia is partially occupying, CBS reported.
But in a statement on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the idea, saying that “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier”.
Tom Watling and Holly Bancroft report:
US vice-president JD Vance says Europe must spend more on Ukraine as he warned that America is “done with the funding of the war”. He also vowed that Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky will be forced to meet by Donald Trump.
Mr Vance, in a wide-ranging interview on Fox News, went on to dismiss European leaders’ calls to allow the Ukrainian president to attend the upcoming summit between the US and Russian leaders, insisting that it would not be “productive” at this point.
On Saturday, European leaders including Sir Keir Starmer jointly welcomed the meeting, which is planned for Friday in Alaska. However, they warned that any talks should see Ukraine represented and not permit any land to be ceded to Russia.
Their statement came after Mr Trump admitted the deal may involve “some swapping of territories” – a suggestion Mr Zelensky strongly rejected.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky could participate in this week’s US-Russia summit in Alaska, America’s ambassador to Nato suggested.
Asked whether Zelensky could meet US president Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, ambassador Matthew Whitaker said, “Yes, I certainly think it’s possible.”
“Certainly, there can’t be a deal that everybody that’s involved in it doesn’t agree to. And, I mean, obviously, it’s a high priority to get this war to end,” the ambassador said.
“The decision to invite Zelensky was entirely Trump’s, Whitaker said, adding that “if he thinks that is the best scenario to invite Zelensky, then he will do that”.
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