US President Donald Trump announced that he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15 to discuss a solution to the conflict in Ukraine.
Mr. Trump said that the parties, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, are getting closer to a ceasefire agreement, which could include a territory exchange.
At the White House, Trump suggested a deal that there will be a territorial exchange for mutual benefit.
However, in a video address on Telegram, Mr. Zelensky affirmed that Ukraine will not violate the constitution on the issue of territory and "the Ukrainian people will not give up land".
He stressed that all decisions without Ukraine's participation are "dead decisions" and do not bring true peace.
The Kremlin confirmed that the Russia-US summit will take place, with the goal of finding a long-term peaceful solution to the Ukraine crisis.
Putin's assistant, Yuri Ushakov, admitted that the process would be difficult but affirmed that Russia would actively participate.
Along with the Crimean peninsula, Russia declared sovereignty over the four regions of Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, although it did not fully control these areas.
Some sources said that the US and Russia are discussing an agreement allowing Russia to keep the controlled territories, but the White House called this speculation and had not confirmed it.
Trump has threatened to impose new sanctions and tariffs on Moscow and countries that buy exports from Russia if Putin does not end the conflict.
This week, the US imposed an additional 25% tariff on goods from India because the country imports Russian oil. Mr. Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff just had a 3-hour meeting with Mr. Putin in Moscow. The two sides said that this discussion was constructive.
