Russia Ukraine war latest: US envoy suggests possible Zelensky role in Trump-Putin Alaska meeting

German chancellor Friedrich Merz mentioned he hopes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will likely be concerned on the Russia-US summit.

Mr Merz mentioned he could have a name with US president Donald Trump on Sunday in an interview with public broadcaster ARD.

“We’re getting ready intensively on the European degree along with the US authorities for this assembly,” Mr Merz mentioned.

“And we hope and assume that the Ukrainian authorities and president Zelensky will likely be concerned on this assembly.”

Mr Zelensky gained diplomatic backing from Europe and the Nato alliance on Sunday forward of a Russia-US summit this week the place Kyiv fears Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump might attempt to dictate phrases for ending the three-and-a-half-year conflict.

“We can’t settle for that territorial points are determined between Russia and America over the heads of Europeans and Ukrainians,” Mr Merz mentioned.

He added that there may be no peace that rewards Russia’s aggressive actions and probably encourages and emboldens additional actions.

No less than two folks died within the Tula area on account of a Ukrainian drone assault that additionally focused Moscow and different areas, Russia’s defence ministry and regional officers mentioned late final night time.

Two folks have been additionally hospitalised following the assault on Tula , governor Dmitry Milyaev mentioned.

The defence ministry mentioned its air defence items destroyed 27 Ukrainian drones inside a span of three hours late on Sunday, together with 11 over the Tula area, one over the Moscow area and the remainder over 4 different areas in Russia’s south and west.

The White Home is reportedly attempting to sway European leaders to simply accept an settlement that would come with Russia taking the complete Donbas area in jap Ukraine and holding Crimea. In alternate, it will quit the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia areas, areas which Russia is partially occupying, CBS reported.

Tom Watling and Holly Bancroft report:

On Saturday, European leaders together with Sir Keir Starmer collectively welcomed the assembly, which is deliberate for Friday in Alaska. Nevertheless, they warned that any talks ought to see Ukraine represented and not permit any land to be ceded to Russia.

Their assertion got here after Mr Trump admitted the deal might contain “some swapping of territories” – a suggestion Mr Zelensky strongly rejected.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky might take part on this week’s US-Russia summit in Alaska, America’s ambassador to Nato instructed.

Requested whether or not Zelensky might meet US president Donald Trump and Russian chief Vladimir Putin, ambassador Matthew Whitaker mentioned, “Sure, I definitely assume it’s doable.”

“Definitely, there can’t be a deal that everyone that’s concerned in it doesn’t comply with. And, I imply, clearly, it’s a excessive precedence to get this conflict to finish,” the ambassador mentioned.

“The choice to ask Zelensky was completely Trump’s, Whitaker mentioned, including that “if he thinks that’s the finest state of affairs to ask Zelensky, then he’ll try this”.