Zelensky Slams Putin-Trump Summit as 'Victory' for Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is sounding the alarm over the high-stakes summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump, set to take place on U.S. soil in Anchorage, Alaska. In an exclusive interview with NewsNation's Robert Sherman, Zelensky called the meeting a symbolic end to Russia's global isolation—and a potential unraveling of the pressure that's kept Moscow in check since the invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
"The most significant thing to come out of this meeting will be the photo," Zelensky told Sherman. That image—Putin standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Trump on American soil—signals, in his view, the West's tacit reacceptance of Russia. "Russia's isolation ends today," Zelensky warned, describing the moment as a major strategic win for Moscow.
Sherman, reporting live from Kyiv, described ongoing Russian assaults on Ukrainian territory, including constant artillery and drone strikes in the Donetsk region. He noted that both Ukrainian and Russian forces are deploying advanced drone warfare, dramatically shifting the nature of combat and alarming Western military observers.
Zelensky expressed deep skepticism that the Anchorage summit would produce meaningful diplomatic progress. According to him, Kyiv expects Moscow to propose a territorial swap: Russian withdrawal from northern regions like Sumy and Kharkiv in exchange for Ukrainian retreat from the contested Donbas area. Ukraine is not interested. "We believe if we give up Donbas now, Russia will invade a third time—after Trump leaves office and without any guarantees," Zelensky said.
As the world watches the Anchorage summit unfold, Ukraine remains on high alert—anticipating not a peace deal, but possibly another strategic pivot from Russia.
To hear more of President Zelensky's insights and on-the-ground reporting from Kyiv, listen to the full segment on The Ryan Gorman Show. Zelensky shared with Sherman what he expects to happen next—and what his first call to Trump might sound like.