Karoline Leavitt said there were many locations considered for the summit with Putin but that Trump was “honored” to host the Russian president on U.S. soil.
WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump will hold a virtual meeting on Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders, a White House official has confirmed to The Epoch Times. Vice President JD Vance will also join the meeting with Zelenskyy.
The virtual meeting will come two days before Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that the Trump–Putin meeting in Alaska will be “one-on-one” and Zelenskyy will not attend.
Leavitt described the Alaska summit as “a listening exercise” for Trump.
“Look, only one party that’s involved in this war is going to be present, and so this is for the president to go and to get, again, a more firm and better understanding of how we can hopefully bring this war to an end,” she said.
On the choice of Alaska, Leavitt noted that there were many locations considered but that Trump was “honored” to host Putin on U.S. soil. She said logistical details for Friday’s meeting are still being finalized in coordination with the Russian side.
Speaking during a press conference at the White House on Aug. 11, Trump said that he will use his upcoming meeting with Putin to learn the Kremlin’s “parameters” for ending the more than three-year war in Ukraine and determine whether there is a realistic path to peace.
He said he would brief Zelenskyy and European leaders immediately after his meeting and possibly arrange direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv.
“I’m going to meet with him. We’re going to see what the parameters are,” Trump said. “I’m then going to call up President Zelenskyy and the European leaders right after the meeting.”
Trump also said negotiations may bring both positive and negative outcomes for Ukraine, potentially involving land swaps and changes.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
By Emel Akan
