US President Donald Trump was worried that Vladimir Zelenskyy, by his presence, could disrupt negotiations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) newspaper writes.
“After the phone conversations [of German Chancellor Friedrich – ed.] Merz and Trump [as well as other European leaders on August 13, 2025 – ed. The Europeans rejected this demand [for Vladimir Zelenskyy’s participation in the Alaska summit on August 15, 2025]. <…> Trump expressed concern that Zelenskyy’s presence at the very beginning of the negotiations could disrupt the process,” the publication says.
The WSJ noted that before Donald Trump’s objection, European heads of state tried to promote the idea of “direct representation” at the Alaska meeting by inviting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte or “another European leader” to participate in the talks.
Earlier, CBS reported that the American side is searching for a venue for trilateral talks with the participation of Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Vladimir Zelenskyy.
