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While anticipation is building ahead of Donald Trump’s talks with Vladimir Putin on Friday, open source data showed that Russia seized 10km of land in a shock eastern offensive.

A sudden thrust near the mining town of Dobropillia, near Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, has taken Ukraine by surprise, Ukraine’s DeepState war map showed.

However, Ukraine denied that Russian forces broke through its frontlines.

“As is known, the Russians use the tactic of infiltration by small groups past the first line of defence, losing a lot of personnel, which happened near Dobropillya,” Ukraine’s armed forces said.

It added that “a small enemy group” bypassed Ukrainian positions and “tried to hide in our rear, but the Defense Forces are repelling such attempts”.

Watch our security and defence analyst Michael Clarke break down the situation here.

Zelenskyy rejects Putin’s ‘proposal’

Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Putin wants the rest of Donetsk – and in effect the entire Donbas – as part of a ceasefire plan.

Kyiv controls around 30%, or 9,000 sq km, of Donetsk, which is located in Ukraine’s east, Zelenskyy said.

It borders Russia and makes up the region known as the Donbas along with the neighbouring Luhansk region, of which Moscow controls 99%.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine would reject the proposal.

He explained that such a move would deprive Kyiv of defensive lines and open the way for Moscow to conduct further offensives.

EU leaders appeal to Trump not to sideline Ukraine

Elsewhere, 26 EU leaders have issued a joint statement warning that Ukraine must have a role in deciding its future, after Trump said Zelenskyy wouldn’t be a part of his meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

The EU leaders repeated calls for Zelenskyy to be invited, welcoming Trump’s efforts “towards ending Russia’s war of aggression”, but warning: “The people of Ukraine must have the freedom to decide their future.”

The statement was signed by every EU member state except Hungary, which has an often antagonistic relationship with Ukraine and the European Union, and is Putin’s closest ally in Europe.

On Friday’s summit, the White House announced it will be held in Anchorage – Alaska’s largest city.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the talks will be a “listening exercise” for Trump.

It comes as our US correspondent James Matthews said Trump is lowering expectations ahead of the summit.

Watch the latest Trump 100 episode in the video below.

We’re pausing our coverage

Thanks for following our live coverage of the war in Ukraine today.

While anticipation is building ahead of Donald Trump’s talks with Vladimir Putin on Friday, open source data showed that Russia seized 10km of land in a shock eastern offensive.

A sudden thrust near the mining town of Dobropillia, near Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, has taken Ukraine by surprise, Ukraine’s DeepState war map showed.

However, Ukraine denied that Russian forces broke through its frontlines.

“As is known, the Russians use the tactic of infiltration by small groups past the first line of defence, losing a lot of personnel, which happened near Dobropillya,” Ukraine’s armed forces said.

It added that “a small enemy group” bypassed Ukrainian positions and “tried to hide in our rear, but the Defense Forces are repelling such attempts”.

Watch our security and defence analyst Michael Clarke break down the situation here.

Zelenskyy rejects Putin’s ‘proposal’

Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Putin wants the rest of Donetsk – and in effect the entire Donbas – as part of a ceasefire plan.

Kyiv controls around 30%, or 9,000 sq km, of Donetsk, which is located in Ukraine’s east, Zelenskyy said.

It borders Russia and makes up the region known as the Donbas along with the neighbouring Luhansk region, of which Moscow controls 99%.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine would reject the proposal.

He explained that such a move would deprive Kyiv of defensive lines and open the way for Moscow to conduct further offensives.

EU leaders appeal to Trump not to sideline Ukraine

Elsewhere, 26 EU leaders have issued a joint statement warning that Ukraine must have a role in deciding its future, after Trump said Zelenskyy wouldn’t be a part of his meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

The EU leaders repeated calls for Zelenskyy to be invited, welcoming Trump’s efforts “towards ending Russia’s war of aggression”, but warning: “The people of Ukraine must have the freedom to decide their future.”

The statement was signed by every EU member state except Hungary, which has an often antagonistic relationship with Ukraine and the European Union, and is Putin’s closest ally in Europe.

On Friday’s summit, the White House announced it will be held in Anchorage – Alaska’s largest city.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the talks will be a “listening exercise” for Trump.

It comes as our US correspondent James Matthews said Trump is lowering expectations ahead of the summit.

Watch the latest Trump 100 episode in the video below.

Trump says he will try to get back territory for Ukraine in talks with Putin

1 day ago Share Save Rachel Hagan & Laura Gozzi BBC News Share Save

Watch: ‘We’re going to change the battle lines’ Trump on the war in Ukraine

US President Donald Trump has said he will try to get some territory back for Ukraine during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. “Russia’s occupied a big portion of Ukraine. They occupied prime territory. We’re going to try to get some of that territory back for Ukraine,” he told a news conference at the White House. He and the Russian president are due to hold talks in Alaska at the end of the week. Trump claimed that he could know within two minutes of meeting Putin whether progress was possible. He said Friday would be a “feel-out meeting” aimed at urging Putin to end the war – suggesting he may view the summit as just an initial encounter.

Trump again warned that there would be “some swapping, changes in land” between Russia and Ukraine. It is not the first time he has used the phrase “land-swapping”, though it is unclear what land Russia could cede to Ukraine. Kyiv has never laid claim to any Russian territories.

Trump said he will update European leaders if Putin proposes a “fair deal” during the talks, adding that he would speak to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky first “out of respect”. “I’ll call him first… I’ll call him after, and I may say, ‘lots of luck, keep fighting,’ or I may say, ‘we can make a deal'”, he said. Trump also said that while he and Zelensky “get along”, he “very severely disagrees with what [the Ukrainian president] has done”. Trump has previously blamed Zelensky for the war in Ukraine, which was sparked by Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022. He stated that a future meeting could include Zelensky and could be a three-way session including himself and Putin. Kaja Kallas, vice-president of the European Commission, told the BBC Putin wants to “go for the old fashioned way of…let’s divide the territories and spheres of influence” in his talks with Trump.

Watch: Kaja Kallas says any talks between US and Russia must include Ukraine

Why are Trump and Putin meeting in Alaska and when will it happen?

2 hours ago Share Save Madeline Halpert and Christal Hayes BBC News Share Save

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The US and Russia have agreed to hold a meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on Friday 15 August, to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine. Trump announced the meeting a week beforehand – the same day as his deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or face more US sanctions. Three rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine held at Trump’s behest this summer have yet to bring the two sides any closer to peace. Here is what we know about the meeting between the two leaders, taking place in Alaska – which was once Russian territory – in Anchorage.

Why are they meeting in Alaska?

The US purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867, lending a historical resonance to the meeting. It became a US state in 1959. Russian presidential assistant Yuri Ushakov pointed out that the two countries are neighbours, with only the Bering Strait separating them. “It seems quite logical for our delegation simply to fly over the Bering Strait and for such an important and anticipated summit of the leaders of the two countries to be held in Alaska,” Ushakov said. The last time Alaska took centre-stage in an American diplomatic event was in March 2021, when Joe Biden’s newly minted diplomatic and national security team met their Chinese counterparts in Anchorage. The sit-down turned acrimonious, with the Chinese accusing the Americans of “condescension and hypocrisy”.

Where in Alaska will Trump and Putin meet?

The meeting will be in Anchorage, the White House confirmed on Tuesday. When announcing the bilateral, Trump said the location would be “a very popular one for a number of reasons”, without disclosing it would be in the state’s largest city.

Why are Putin and Trump meeting?

Trump has been pushing hard – without much success – to end the war in Ukraine. As a presidential candidate, he pledged that he could end the war within 24 hours of taking office. He has also repeatedly argued that the war “never would have happened” if he had been president at the time of Russia’s invasion in 2022. Last month, Trump told the BBC that he was “disappointed” by Putin. Frustrations grew and Trump set an 8 August deadline for Putin to agree to an immediate ceasefire or face more severe US sanctions. As the deadline hit, Trump instead announced he and Putin would meet in person on 15 August. The meeting comes after US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff held “highly productive” talks with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday, according to Trump. Ahead of the meeting, the White House sought to play down speculation that the bilateral could yield a ceasefire. “This is a listening exercise for the president,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. She added that Trump may travel to Russia following the Alaska trip. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump said he viewed the summit as a “feel-out meeting” aimed at urging Putin to end the war.

Is Ukraine attending?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not expected to attend. Trump said on Monday: “I would say he could go, but he’s been to a lot of meetings.” Trump did, however, say that Zelensky would be the first person he would call afterwards. A White House official later said that Trump and Zelensky would meet virtually on Wednesday, ahead of the US president’s summit with Putin. The Zelensky meeting will be joined by several European leaders. Putin had requested that Zelensky be excluded, although the White House has previously said that Trump was willing to hold a trilateral in which all three leaders were present. Zelensky has said any agreements without input from Ukraine would amount to “dead decisions”.

What do both sides hope to get out of it?

While both Russia and Ukraine have long said that they want the war to end, both countries want things that the other harshly opposes. Trump said on Monday he was “going to try to get some of that [Russian-occupied] territory back for Ukraine”. But he also warned that there might have to be “some swapping, changes in land”. Ukraine, however, has been adamant that it will not accept Russian control of regions that Moscow has seized, including Crimea. Zelensky pushed back this week against any idea of “swapping” territories. “We will not reward Russia for what it has perpetrated,” the Ukrainian president said.

Watch: ‘We’re going to change the battle lines’ Trump on the war in Ukraine

Meanwhile, Putin has not budged from his territorial demands, Ukraine’s neutrality and the future size of its army. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in part, over Putin’s belief the Western defensive alliance, Nato, was using the neighbouring country to gain a foothold to bring its troops closer to Russia’s borders.

What’s at stake as Trump prepares to meet Putin in Alaska?

toggle caption Aurelien Morissard, left and center, Pavel Bednyakov, right/AP

MOSCOW — President Trump said he was quickly moving forward with plans to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska this Friday — a snap summit that will see Trump once again pursue his goal of a negotiated end to Putin’s war in Ukraine.

This time, face to face with the Kremlin leader.

“Probably in the first two minutes I’ll know if a deal can be made,” said Trump speaking before the press at the White House on Monday.

When a journalist asked how, Trump responded: “Because that’s what I do. I make deals.”

The Kremlin has remained largely silent since confirming the summit would take place in Alaska.

Trump indicated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was unlikely to be included in talks he described as a “feel-out meeting” to better understand Russia’s demands for ending the war.

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Ukraine’s absence from the summit has prompted concerns in Kyiv and among its European allies that Trump may agree to far-reaching concessions behind Ukraine’s back.

Over the weekend, leaders from the U.K., France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland and the European Commission issued a statement insisting Kyiv be included in any talks about its own future.

“The path in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine,” the Europeans said in the statement.

Trump indicated his priority would be to set up a direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy — provided there were terms he deemed acceptable.

“I’m going to meet with President Putin and I’m going to see what he has in mind,” said Trump, adding he would then inform NATO and European partners as well as President Zelenskyy.

“Out of respect I’ll call him first,” said Trump of the Ukrainian leader.

Trump also announced he would hold a phone call with European leaders and Zelenskyy before the summit — with talks tentatively scheduled for Wednesday.

Ukraine eyes summit from afar

Kyiv remains wary of the summit. Zelenskyy voiced appreciation for Trump’s peace efforts but warned Putin was out to manipulate the American leader.

Indeed, there were signs that Trump was already frustrated with Zelenskyy’s public refusal to cede land to Moscow amid negotiations he has no part in — citing Ukraine’s constitution.

“I was a little bothered by the fact that Zelenskyy was saying, ‘I have to get constitutional approval [to give up territory],'” Trump said on Monday.

“He’s got approval to go into war and kill everybody, but he needs approval to do a land swap?” added Trump.

Zelenskyy has long argued that any peace in Ukraine would hinge largely on the West providing Kyiv with security guarantees.

Yet, in his nightly address Monday, Zelenskyy said Kyiv’s analysis of recent Russian battlefield maneuvers indicated Moscow was preparing for new military operations.

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Putin may be talking about peace, said Zelenskyy, but “certainly not getting ready for a ceasefire or an end to the war.”

“There is no sign that the Russians have received signals to prepare for a postwar situation,” Zelenskyy said.

Confusion over Russia’s position

Given the summit was just announced last week, planning has unfolded at breakneck speed — with the exact time, place and length of the meetings still largely unknown.

In particular, confusion has reigned — both in the press and among U.S. allies — over a meeting between White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin at the Kremlin last week.

What Russian concessions had warranted a face-to-face meeting with an American president?

Speaking Monday, Trump doubled down on earlier comments that a deal could involve “swapping territories.”

“There will be some landswapping going on,” said Trump on Monday. “I know that through conversations with Russia and conversations with everybody.”

Trump added any compromise would be “for the good of Ukraine.”

“Also some bad stuff,” he added. “For both.”

Publicly, Putin has shown little sign of pulling back from maximalistist demands that include an end to Ukraine’s NATO ambitions, Ukraine’s disarmament and Kyiv’s formal ceding of all land claimed but not totally controlled by Russian forces.

Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin analyst and former Putin spokesman, acknowledged grand gestures from the Russian leader were unlikely given what Putin saw as Russia’s battlefield supremacy.

Yet, Markov argued Putin would be looking for offers that might convince Trump he’s closing in on his goal of a ceasefire.

“I think it’s some kind of possibility of Putin to give a small gift to Donald Trump to keep Donald Trump in the peace process,” Markov told NPR.

From sanctions to summit

Russians have largely celebrated news of the Alaskan summit — which appeared to at least postpone a Trump threat to impose massive secondary sanctions and tariffs on most Russian energy exports.

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For weeks, Trump had attacked Putin’s continued deadly bombing of Ukrainian cities in starkly personal terms.

“I go home, I tell the first lady, ‘You know, I spoke to Vladimir today. We had a wonderful conversation.’ And she said, ‘Oh really? Another city was just hit,'” said Trump in a July 14 meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office.

That same day, Trump announced he had reached a deal to sell American-made weapons to NATO allies in Europe for delivery to Ukraine.

Trump also announced what would eventually become an Aug. 8 deadline for Russia to wind up the war or face “severe” new economic penalties.

Instead, Putin will hold his first summit with an American leader since 2021, when then-President Biden sought to convince him to stand down his forces ahead of what would become the largest land war in Europe in a generation.

“A master class in diplomacy”

In Moscow, Putin’s supporters argued the Russian leader had pulled the equivalent of a rabbit out of a diplomatic hat.

“In my view, Vladimir Putin showed was nothing short of a masterclass in diplomacy,” wrote Yury Podolyak, one of a group of Russian pro-war bloggers that have gained notoriety — and influence — amid the war in Ukraine.

“Very few people these days know how to navigate their way out of a difficult situation like that,” added Podolyak.

“In general, the very fact that a summit being held in Alaska without Zelensky and his European sponsors — is a substantial diplomatic victory,” Podolyak chimed in, in an article in the daily tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets.

“The selection of Alaska is an excellent choice!” the article continued, noting that “without a special invitation,” there was no way for Zelenskyy or Europe to interrupt the proceedings.

Alaska’s shared heritage

Kremlin supporters have similarly applauded the choice of Alaska as a symbol of shared cultural history.

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The 49th state was once part of the Russian Empire — sold to the U.S. in 1867 as Russia sought to recoup massive debts. A different war in a different time.

The Kremlin’s envoy for the U.S. talks, Kirill Dmitriev, has repeatedly posted tributes to the region’s Russian legacy.

“Born as Russian America — Orthodox roots, forts, fur trade — Alaska echoes those ties & makes the US an Arctic nation,” Dmitriev wrote in a post to X.

Trump, too, inadvertently highlighted Alaska’s Russian roots when he misspoke at the White House Monday and said “I’m going to Russia on Friday.”

The irony: Russian nationalists have long argued that Alaska should be returned to the Russian fold — part of a Russian focus on empire and history that, in many ways, led to the conflict unfolding in Ukraine.