As U.S. President Donald Trump heads to Alaska for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky affirmed that the time has come to end the war launched by Russia against his country in 2022.

Toward Peace

In a brief statement Friday afternoon, Zelensky said the Putin-Trump summit is vital and opens the path toward a just peace, calling for a substantial trilateral discussion between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia.

He also emphasized that Ukraine relies on the United States to persuade Russia to end the war, according to Reuters.

Trump, once again expressing admiration for Putin aboard Air Force One en route to Alaska, said, “He’s a very smart man… We respect each other.”

He also expressed readiness to discuss the resumption of economic cooperation between the two countries if progress is made on the Ukraine issue.

While Trump ruled out the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO, he suggested that the U.S. might offer security guarantees in coordination with Europe.

He hinted at the possibility of a future land exchange between Russians and Ukrainians but stressed that the decision ultimately rests with the Ukrainian side.

This face-to-face meeting will be the first of its kind between the American and Russian presidents since Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The meeting, scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. (1930 GMT) at Elmendorf-Richardson military base in Anchorage, carries significant weight for Kyiv, Moscow, Washington, and European leaders.