**US and Europe Coordinate Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit**
In a bid to ease concerns over the upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has revealed that the US has promised to coordinate with its European partners ahead of the meeting. The talks, scheduled for August 15 in Alaska, will be the first face-to-face encounter between Trump and Putin since his return to office.
Tusk expressed a mix of fears and hopes about the meeting, highlighting Trump’s tendency towards unpredictability in his decision-making process. This has raised concerns among European leaders, who are seeking direct talks with Trump before the summit. US Vice President JD Vance met with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy in London on August 9, and EU ambassadors were briefed on the matter the following day.
**Ukraine’s Participation Remains Unclear**
The involvement of Ukraine remains unclear, sparking worries in Kyiv and across Europe. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected any preconditions for a settlement involving formally ceding Ukrainian territory. In his August 9 evening address, he warned that a settlement lacking genuine peace would allow Russia to regroup and attack again.
**Land Swaps on the Table?**
According to Bloomberg, Trump has told European leaders and President Zelensky that Putin is open to negotiations if “land swaps” are part of the deal. A source in Ukraine’s Presidential Office revealed that Moscow seeks Kyiv’s full withdrawal from partially occupied Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in the east while offering to withdraw its forces from limited areas it holds in the northeastern Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts.
**Russia’s Demands**
Putin has publicly demanded that Ukraine renounce NATO membership, withdraw troops from all four occupied regions, and hand over several major cities still under Ukrainian control. Moscow reiterated these demands during the May Istanbul peace talks and once more in the July third round of talks, which concluded in less than an hour.
**Safeguarding Ukraine’s Territorial Integrity**
Polish Prime Minister Tusk warned that safeguarding Ukraine’s territorial integrity is not just a matter of solidarity with their neighbor but also of their own security. This highlights the importance of maintaining stability and peace in the region.
**Commentary**
The upcoming summit between Trump and Putin has sparked intense debate, particularly regarding Ukraine’s participation and Russia’s demands. The US’s promise to coordinate with its European partners is a step in the right direction, but the uncertainty surrounding Ukraine’s involvement remains a concern. As the world watches this pivotal meeting, one thing is clear: any settlement lacking genuine peace would be a recipe for disaster.
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