Touching on Ukrainian anxieties that a direct meeting between Mr. Trump and Putin could marginalize Kyiv and European interests, Zelenskyy said: "Any decisions that are without Ukraine are at the same time decisions against peace. They will not bring anything. These are dead decisions. They will never work."

The threats, pressure and ultimatums have come and gone, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has maintained Moscow’s uncompromising demands in Ukraine, raising fears he could use a planned summit with U.

Donald Trump's meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss the Ukraine war is one of the biggest gambits of his second term.