Payam Javan: U.S. President Donald Trump is set to hold a virtual meeting on Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders. The talks come just two days before Trump’s planned Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The timing has fueled speculation over the potential impact on ongoing diplomatic efforts surrounding the war in Ukraine.

Ahead of the meeting, Zelenskyy issued a sharp warning, claiming that Putin is “not preparing for a cease-fire” and instead aims to leverage the U.S. talks for propaganda purposes. He stressed that Moscow’s military operations show no sign of slowing, despite ongoing international calls for peace.

Zelenskyy further emphasized that any peace agreement must include Ukraine as a direct party to the negotiations. He rejected the idea of trading away Ukrainian territory in exchange for a ceasefire, underscoring Kyiv’s position that sovereignty and territorial integrity remain non-negotiable.