**Ukraine Makes Small Gains Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit**
As the world waits for a summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukraine has made small territorial gains in its eastern region of Sumy. According to Kyiv’s military, two villages have been retaken from Russian-backed forces.
This development comes as Ukrainian leaders worry that Trump might align with Putin to cut a deal that would be disadvantageous to Kyiv. The US and Russia are set to meet at a summit in Alaska on Friday, which will also include a video conference between European leaders and Trump before the talks.
**A History of Land Swaps**
Trump has previously talked about land swaps as part of a peace deal for Ukraine. However, neither Russia nor Ukraine has been open to ceding land as part of a peace agreement. This suggests that any potential deal would need to be carefully crafted to address Ukrainian concerns.
**European Leaders Unite in Support of Ukraine**
Meanwhile, European leaders are uniting in support of Ukraine. The UK and Canada have stated that peace must not be imposed on Ukraine but rather built with Kyiv’s involvement. Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk has also emphasized the need for Ukrainian participation in any peace talks.
**Russia Prepares for New Offensives**
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned that Russia is preparing its troops for new offensives instead of getting ready to stop the war. This has led European leaders to fear that a deal between Trump and Putin could be deeply disadvantageous to Ukraine.
**A 19th Package of Sanctions**
The EU has announced plans to work on a 19th package of sanctions against Russia, warning against concessions to Moscow. This move is seen as an attempt to pressure Russia into making concessions at the upcoming summit.
**A Summit in Alaska**
Putin is set to become the first Russian president to visit Alaska, a territory that Moscow sold to the US in 1867 for $7.2 million. The fact that this meeting will take place on American soil has raised concerns about Trump’s willingness to listen to Ukrainian and European leaders’ concerns.
**A Message from Poland**
Polish Prime Minister Tusk has expressed fear and hope ahead of the summit, stating that Washington had pledged to consult its European partners before the talks. He also emphasized the need for Ukrainian participation in any peace talks.
**Russia Strikes Ukraine**
Russian strikes have injured at least 12 people in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region. The leaders of eight Nordic-Baltic nations have jointly reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and called on Russia to end its “unlawful” war.
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