Small bands of Russian troops pushed deeper into eastern Ukraine on Tuesday, in a move that comes ahead of a high-stakes summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Alaska this week. The advance around the coal-mining town of Dobropillia, part of Moscow’s effort to expand control in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, drew a fresh wave of warnings from Kyiv and its European partners.
Ukraine’s military said reserve units were being sent in to blunt the incursions, describing intense clashes with small groups of advancing Russian soldiers. The fighting underscored the fragility of any potential pause in hostilities as international diplomacy intensifies.
Trump has signaled that any peace agreement could include “some swapping of territories to the betterment of both” sides, a concept that has unsettled Kyiv and European allies who insist that Ukraine must be at the center of any negotiations and that all terms respect Ukraine’s sovereignty. The prospect of land swaps is viewed by many in Europe and Kyiv as potentially rewarding Moscow’s aggression and incentivizing further incursions.
Zelenskiy and most European leaders have stressed that durable peace cannot be achieved without Ukraine’s direct involvement and a firm commitment to international law and Ukraine’s territorial integrity. They plan to reach out to Trump on Wednesday to press for a stance that places Kyiv in the negotiations ahead of the Alaska summit with Putin.
In a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has hosted previous talks between Kyiv and Moscow, Zelenskiy warned that “an imitation rather than genuine peace will not hold for long and will only encourage Russia to seize even more territory.” The warning echoed Kyiv’s insistence that any settlement be verifiable, include robust security guarantees, and require Ukraine’s consent and participation.
What to watch next
– The Alaska summit’s potential impact on ongoing diplomacy and whether Ukraine will be formally included in any discussions.
– How Western pressure and European counterproposals shape any proposed land swaps or security guarantees.
– The posture of both Kyiv and Moscow regarding ceasefires and verification mechanisms as negotiations proceed.
Context and outlook
Diplomatic engagement remains active even as battlefield realities complicate any path to peace. The coming days could determine whether talks move toward a verifiable ceasefire with credible guarantees or drift back into riskier questions about territorial concessions. Ukraine’s sovereignty and the integrity of its borders remain central to Western demand for a durable resolution.
Summary
Tensions on the ground in eastern Ukraine collide with high-level diplomacy as Putin and Trump prepare for a summit in Alaska. Russia’s incursions near Dobropillia highlight the precarious situation, while Kyiv and its European partners push for negotiations that include Ukraine and safeguard its sovereignty, resisting any terms that would alter borders without Kyiv’s consent. A hopeful path forward hinges on credible security guarantees, a ceasefire, and multilateral involvement that upholds international law.
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