A weekend social media post from President Trump, proclaiming “BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA,” has raised eyebrows across Europe and Ukraine. The cryptic message follows his three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a military air base in Alaska. The summit marked Putin’s first visit to Western territory since the invasion of Ukraine and, despite the lack of a formal announcement, was described in glowing terms by both leaders.
The optimistic tone, however, contrasts with the details emerging from the talks. A source briefed on the discussions revealed that Trump and Putin considered a proposal where Ukraine would surrender territory in the east in return for Russia giving up smaller occupied areas. This “land swap” concept, as well as a new agreement on “robust security guarantees,” is causing alarm among Kyiv’s allies who are wary of pressuring Ukraine to make territorial concessions.
In a show of solidarity, a powerful delegation of European leaders—including French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni—will accompany Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Washington. The European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, also confirmed her attendance.
Their visit to Washington, D.C., is a concerted effort to support Zelenskyy and ensure that any peace deal is not made at Ukraine’s expense. The European leaders’ presence sends a clear message that a unified Western front is essential to countering Russian aggression and achieving a just and lasting peace, not a hasty one.
