Echoes of Yalta? Fears Mount as Trump-Putin Summit Sidelines Ukraine

Fears of a modern-day Yalta Conference are intensifying across Europe as President Donald Trump prepares to meet Vladimir Putin in Alaska next week without the guaranteed presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The historical parallel, where great powers decided the fate of smaller nations, is being invoked by critics who worry Ukraine could be sacrificed for the sake of a U.S.-Russia deal.
The summit, scheduled for August 15, has been promoted by Trump as a peace initiative, but his methods are causing alarm. His willingness to meet Putin one-on-one, combined with his suggestion of a peace deal involving “swapping of territories,” has fueled concerns that Ukraine’s sovereignty is on the negotiating table.
This diplomatic approach is unfolding as the West continues its economic pressure campaign. Canada, the UK, and the EU have just lowered the price cap on Russian oil to further squeeze the Kremlin. However, allies fear Trump’s pursuit of a landmark personal achievement could lead him to make concessions that undermine this united front.
On the ground in Ukraine, soldiers fighting to defend their land express deep misgivings about any deal brokered without them. Their determination to defeat Russia, not negotiate away their territory, presents a formidable obstacle to any Yalta-style agreement emerging from the Alaska summit.