On August 13, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had warned US President Donald Trump that Russian leader Vladimir Putin was just " bluffing" about the desire to end the conflict.
The warning came shortly before Trump and Putin were scheduled to meet in Alaska, as Kiev and its allies feared that the two leaders could seek to impose peaceful conditions on Ukraine after more than three and a half years of conflict.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Berlin with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Mr. Zelensky said that Russia is increasing pressure on the entire Ukrainian frontline to create a position even before the Alaska summit. Russia is trying to show that it can occupy all of Ukraine, he stressed.
Mr Zelensky had previously attended an online meeting with Trump and European leaders. He said he hoped the main topic of the meeting in Alaska would be an immediate ceasefire, and affirmed that all issues related to the territory must be discussed at the leaders' meeting. Without Ukraine, it is impossible to decide this issue. And, by the way, everyone supports that, he said.
According to Mr. Zelensky, Mr. Trump has pledged to report the results of the talks with Mr. Putin. However, Russia's increased military activity in eastern Ukraine is raising concerns about the possibility of Kiev being forced to cede territory.
