The Alaska summit wasn’t just about Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. In a separate meeting, Trump also sat down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy—an encounter that added new intrigue to an otherwise inconclusive round of diplomacy.
Putin left Alaska without budging on a ceasefire. But Zelenskyy, careful with his words, signaled that he remains open to expanded discussions that could eventually bring all three leaders to the table. For Ukraine, battered and weary after more than three years of war, even a hint of trilateral talks is a lifeline worth entertaining.
For Trump, the optics are powerful. One meeting with Putin, another with Zelenskyy—and suddenly he looks less like a former president and more like a self-styled dealmaker still capable of commanding global attention. For Zelenskyy, the calculus is pragmatic: keep Washington engaged, keep options alive, and keep Ukraine’s fight from slipping off the world’s radar.
The Alaska sessions didn’t deliver a breakthrough—but they reshaped the narrative. Trump positioned himself as the hinge between Kyiv and Moscow, while Zelenskyy cracked open the door to talks that could one day decide the war’s fate.
The Author
Ellis Grant
Staff Writer, Readovia
