Trump aims to win back land for Ukraine

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Monday, August 11th, 2025

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rki.news
WASHINGTON, August 11 — US President Donald Trump has pledged to push for the return of some Ukrainian territory during his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
“Russia has occupied a big portion of Ukraine, prime territory,” Trump told reporters. “We’re going to try to get some of that territory back for Ukraine.” He described the talks as a “feel-out meeting” to gauge Putin’s willingness to end the war, adding he would know within minutes whether progress was possible.
Trump hinted at the possibility of “swapping” land between Russia and Ukraine, though he did not specify details. Kyiv has never laid claim to Russian territory and has repeatedly rejected any deal involving loss of its own land.
The president said he would brief European leaders if Putin proposed a “fair deal,” but would first consult Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “out of respect.” He suggested a future three-way meeting involving himself, Putin and Zelensky could be possible, though the Kremlin has played down any chance of direct talks.
Zelensky responded that agreements made without Ukraine’s participation would be “dead decisions.” On Monday, he cited intelligence reports indicating Russia had no plans to halt its offensive.
Trump announced the Alaska summit last week, warning that Russia must agree to a ceasefire or face tougher US sanctions. He has previously criticised Zelensky, blaming him in part for the conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The Alaska meeting will mark Trump’s first face-to-face encounter with Putin since returning to office, and comes amid high tensions between Washington and Moscow over the war and global security.