Trump seeks face-to-face summit with Putin and Zelensky

Shafaq News – Washington / Brussels

The White House is considering inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Alaska for a possible meeting with President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, NBC reported on Sunday.

Citing a senior US official, the report noted that Trump remains open to diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the nearly three-year-old war.

“The president believes that if all three leaders meet face-to-face, there is a genuine chance to stop the bloodshed,” the official added.

In a joint statement, European leaders welcomed Trump’s initiative to “stop the killing in Ukraine and end Russia’s aggressive war,” expressing support for “a just and lasting peace” that ensures Ukraine’s security.

They emphasized that diplomacy, together with continued military and economic support for Kyiv, remains the only viable path to ending the conflict.

The leaders also agreed that any settlement must protect the security interests of both Ukraine and Europe, reaffirming Ukraine’s right to determine its own future.

“Without Ukraine at the table as an equal partner, there can be no real peace — only a pause before the next war,” the statement continued.

Reaffirming that international borders must not be changed by force, the leaders noted that the current front line between Russian and Ukrainian forces could serve as a starting point for negotiations.

On the ground, hostilities persisted despite diplomatic moves. Ukrainian authorities reported that Russian forces carried out 36 strikes on settlements in the southern Kherson region, killing at least one person and injuring three.

A Russian drone also struck a bus in Kherson, killing two people and injuring 16. A second drone hit the area as police responded, wounding three officers, regional police reported.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that its forces had destroyed 224 Ukrainian drones over the past 24 hours.