Trump, Vance to meet virtually with Zelenskyy ahead of Putin summit
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
Trump and Vance to meet virtually with Zelensky before summit with Putin – Media
US President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance will participate in a virtual meeting on Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European allies. This was confirmed to ABC News by two American officials, UNN reports. The White House officially announced that a summit between Trump and Putin would take place in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday. Ukrainian representatives are not expected to be present, although a source told ABC News on Monday that “everything is very fluid” The Kremlin confirmed the date and location, noting that they would discuss issues of settlement regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Details
Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that Russia was showing signs that it might want to end the war, after the Ukrainian President spoke by phone last week with Trump, White House adviser Steve Witkoff, and European leaders.
“During the conversation, Mr. Witkoff, who was also on the call, signaled that Russia was ready to end the war or at least take the first step towards a ceasefire, and that this was the first such signal from them,” Zelenskyy said of the conversation that took place on Friday. “Everyone on the call felt positive about it – that there had been some shift.”
Zelenskyy emphasized that there were no demands or specific proposals from the US, only discussions, and it was still unclear to him exactly what Russian President Vladimir Putin had told Witkoff.
The White House officially announced that a summit between Trump and Putin would take place in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday.
Russians are transferring their best brigades from Kursk Oblast for an offensive in three directions – Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy said that Putin was preparing for “new offensive operations” despite the upcoming peace summit in Alaska on Friday, and as Russian forces appeared to have made significant gains on the front lines in eastern Ukraine.
Fierce fighting continues on the front lines and long-range drone and missile strikes are ongoing, as the US and Russia prepare for their meeting on Friday. Ukrainian representatives are not expected to be present, although a source in Zelenskyy’s office told ABC News on Monday that “everything is very fluid.”
Zelenskyy and his officials have launched a diplomatic offensive ahead of the meeting, seeking to secure foreign support for Ukraine’s key demands in any peace agreement.
Recall
Donald Trump announced a meeting with Putin on August 15, 2025, in Alaska. The Kremlin confirmed the date and location, noting that they would discuss issues of settlement regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine and economic interests.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after the announcement of the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska, stated Ukraine’s readiness for real solutions for peace, but emphasized that Ukrainians would not give their land to the occupier. He stressed that the answer to the territorial question is already in the Constitution of Ukraine.
What to know about Trump’s potential change in federal marijuana policy
President Donald Trump says he will decide in coming weeks whether to support changes to the way marijuana is regulated. The renewed focus on marijuana comes more than a year after former President Joe Biden’s administration formally proposed reclassifying marijuana. Many states have already gone further than the federal government by legalizing the recreational use of marijuana for adults or allowing it for medical purposes. The Justice Department last year proposed to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD, to a less dangerous Schedule III substance, which includes such things as ketamine and some anabolic steroids. The National Sheriffs’ Association was among those submitting written opposition, highlighting prior determinations that marijuana has a “high abuse potential” and cases of “extreme intoxication’ and fatal vehicle crashes. The move could make it easier to research marijuana, since it’s very difficult to conduct authorized clinical studies on Schedule I substances. The medical use of pot is already allowed in 40 states and the District of Columbia, and the number of jurisdictions legalizing recreational use for adults has risen rapidly.
President Donald Trump said Monday that he hopes to decide in the coming weeks about whether to support changes to the way marijuana is regulated. The renewed focus on marijuana comes more than a year after former President Joe Biden’s administration formally proposed reclassifying marijuana. No decision was made before Biden left office.
Meanwhile, many states have already gone further than the federal government by legalizing the recreational use of marijuana for adults or allowing it for medical purposes.
Advertisement Advertisement
Advertisement Advertisement
What’s the federal policy on marijuana?
Possessing marijuana remains a federal crime punishable by fines and prison time. Selling or cultivating marijuana is a more serious offense, punishable by prison sentences of five years to life, depending on the quantity of the drug.
The Justice Department last year proposed to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD, to a less dangerous Schedule III substance, which includes such things as ketamine and some anabolic steroids. But that switch involved a lengthy bureaucratic process.
Nearly 43,000 public comments were submitted to the federal government about the proposed change. The Drug Enforcement Administration was still in the review process when Trump succeeded Biden in January, triggering a re-examination of policies across the federal government.
Advertisement Advertisement
Advertisement Advertisement
What would reclassifying marijuana mean?
Reclassifying marijuana would not make it legal for recreational use by adults nationwide. Rather, it would change the way it’s regulated and taxed.
Federal income tax deductions for business expenses aren’t available to enterprises involved in “trafficking” any Schedule I or II drug. Changing marijuana to a Schedule III drug could mean significant tax savings for businesses licensed to sell marijuana in states where it is legal.
It also could make it easier to research marijuana, since it’s very difficult to conduct authorized clinical studies on Schedule I substances.
Advertisement Advertisement
Advertisement Advertisement
Due to the potential for federal penalties, many banks and financial institutions don’t provide debit or credit services, loans or other common banking products to marijuana businesses authorized under state laws. That’s unlikely to change merely by rescheduling marijuana under the federal Controlled Substances Act, according to a Congressional Research Service report.
What is there for Trump to consider?
Trump is weighing the pros and cons of a marijuana policy change, noting it’s a “very complicated subject.”
“I’ve heard great things having to do with medical” use of marijuana and “bad things having to do with just about everything else,” Trump said Monday.
Advertisement Advertisement
Advertisement Advertisement
Marijuana advocacy groups have long pushed for the federal government to soften its stance. As a candidate, Trump appeared open to relaxed regulation, posting on his social media platform last year that he would “focus on research to unlock the medical uses of marijuana to a Schedule 3 drug.”
But reclassification faces resistance from some conservatives and law enforcement groups. The National Sheriffs’ Association was among those submitting written opposition, highlighting prior determinations that marijuana has a “high abuse potential” and pointing to cases of “extreme intoxication” and fatal vehicle crashes.
What’s happening in the states?
The medical use of marijuana is already allowed in 40 states and the District of Columbia. Over the past dozen years, the number of jurisdictions legalizing recreational marijuana for adults rose rapidly to 24 states and the District of Columbia.
Advertisement Advertisement
Advertisement Advertisement
But the movement suffered some recent setbacks.
Ballot measures to legalize recreational marijuana failed last fall in Florida, North Dakota and South Dakota. Florida’s measure received a majority vote, which would have been sufficient in most states, but fell short of the 60% threshold needed to approve amendments to the state constitution.
Idaho lawmakers this year referred a proposed constitutional amendment to the ballot that would forbid citizen initiatives to legalize marijuana and instead leave such decisions only to the Legislature.
Initiatives continue elsewhere to try to place recreational marijuana on the ballot, including in Oklahoma, where voters defeated a measure in 2023.
Advertisement Advertisement
Advertisement Advertisement
What does the data say about marijuana use?
About 6 in 10 voters across the country said they favor legalizing recreational use nationwide, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 U.S. voters conducted during last year’s election.
Polling from Gallup shows support for marijuana legalization has grown significantly, from just 36% support in 2005 to 68% last year.
Marijuana use has also increased. More than 64 million Americans age 12 and older — or 22.3% of people — used marijuana during the past year, according to a 2024 national survey released recently by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. That was up from 19% of people in 2021.
The growth in marijuana use was driven by adults aged 26 and older, according to the survey. However, people ages 18-25 remained the most likely to partake in marijuana, with 35% reporting use during the past year.
Ukraine war latest: Zelenskyy rejects Putin’s ‘proposal’ to hand Russia eastern Ukraine for ceasefire
Open source data shows that Russia seized 10km of land in an eastern offensive. Ukraine denied that Russian forces broke through its frontlines. 26 EU leaders have issued a joint statement warning that Ukraine must have a role in deciding its future. Trump said Zelenskyy wouldn’t be a part of his meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. White House announced it will be held in Anchorage – Alaska’s largest city. Trump is lowering expectations ahead of the summit, our correspondent James Matthews said. Watch the latest Trump 100 episode in the video below. We’re pausing our coverage for now.
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, Vance to meet virtually with Zelenskyy ahead of Putin summit – WEIS
U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance will take part in a virtual meeting on Wednesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that Russia is showing signs it may want to end the war. The Ukrainian president spoke by phone with Trump, White House adviser Steve Witkoff and European leaders last week. Putin is preparing for “new offensive operations” despite Friday’s looming peace summit in Alaska, Zelenskiy said. He said Putin is determined only to present a meeting with America as his personal victory and then continue acting exactly as before, applying the same pressure on Ukraine as before. The White House officially announced the summit between Trump and Putin will take place in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, though Ukrainian representatives are not expected to attend, though “everything is very fluid” A source in Zelenskys’ office told ABC News on Monday that ‘everything isvery fluid’ The meeting will constitute a “feel-out meeting,” Trump said on Monday.
(LONDON) — President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance will take part in a virtual meeting on Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European allies, two U.S. officials confirmed to ABC News.
Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that Russia is showing signs it may want to end the war after Zelenskyy spoke by phone with Trump, White House adviser Steve Witkoff and European leaders last week.
“During the call, there was a signal from Mr. Witkoff, who was also on the call, that Russia is ready to end the war, or at least to make a first step toward a ceasefire, and that this was the first such signal from them,” Zelenskyy said of the call, which took place Friday. “Everyone on the call felt positive about this — that there was some kind of shift.”
Zelenskyy emphasized there were no demands or concrete proposals from the U.S., just discussions, and it’s still unclear to him what exactly Russian President Vladimir Putin told Witkoff.
The Ukrainian president also said he was told that since a meeting with him and Trump already took place, one between Putin and Trump logically followed. “And then a trilateral meeting — the U.S., Ukraine and Russia – should take place,” Zelenskyy said.
The White House officially announced the summit between Trump and Putin will take place in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday.
Zelenskyy said Putin was preparing for “new offensive operations” despite Friday’s looming peace summit in Alaska — and as Russian forces appear to have scored significant front-line success in eastern Ukraine.
Fierce front-line combat and long-range drone and missile strikes are ongoing as the U.S. and Russia prepare for Friday’s meeting. Ukrainian representatives are not expected to attend, though a source in Zelenskyy’s office told ABC News on Monday that “everything is very fluid.”
Zelenskyy and his officials have gone on a diplomatic offensive ahead of the meeting, seeking to shore up foreign support behind Ukraine’s key demands in any peace deal.
On Monday, Zelenskyy suggested that Putin is not ready to end the fighting, despite Friday’s meeting in Alaska.
The president’s warning came as Russian troops broke through an area of the front north of the important defensive city of Pokrovsk — in the east of the country — advancing at least six miles toward the town of Dobropillia.
The breach could give Russian forces an opportunity to drive a wedge between two Ukraine’s key eastern defensive hubs — Pokrovsk and Kostyantynivka — and imperil other cities in the region.
Citing a report from his intelligence and military commands, Zelenskyy said in a statement that Putin “is definitely not preparing for a ceasefire or an end to the war. Putin is determined only to present a meeting with America as his personal victory and then continue acting exactly as before, applying the same pressure on Ukraine as before.”
Zelenskyy said on Telegram on Monday, “So far, there is no indication whatsoever that the Russians have received signals to prepare for a post-war situation. On the contrary, they are redeploying their troops and forces in ways that suggest preparations for new offensive operations.”
“If someone is preparing for peace, this is not what he does,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy has said Kyiv will not cede any territory to Russia, will not abandon its NATO ambitions and will not allow any limitations on its armed forces.
Among Moscow’s demands are that Ukraine cede several regions — not all of which are controlled by Russian troops — in the south and east of the country, accept curbs on the size and sophistication of its military and be permanently excluded from NATO. Putin also wants all international sanctions on Russia to be lifted in the event of a peace deal.
Russia’s demands, Zelenskyy has said, constitute an attempt to “partition Ukraine.”
Trump on Monday described the coming summit as a “feel-out meeting,” telling reporters, “I’m going in to speak to Vladimir, and I’m going to be telling him, ‘You got to end this war. You got to end it.’”
“And at the end of that meeting, probably in the first two minutes, I’ll know exactly whether or not a deal can be made,” Trump said.
When asked how he would know if a deal is possible, the president replied, “Because that’s what I do. I make deals.”
ABC News’ Yulia Drozd, Ellie Kaufman, Oleksiy Pshemyskyi, Kelsey Walsh and Michelle Stoddart contributed to this report.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect that Zelenskyy spoke about the call with Trump on Tuesday, but the call took place last week.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Trump-Putin Alaska Summit Not Expected to Produce Ceasefire or Trade Deals
The White House has confirmed that the upcoming one-on-one summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska will not result in a ceasefire in Ukraine. The meeting is described as a direct engagement aimed at allowing Trump to assess Putin’s intentions regarding the ongoing conflict. The White House is placing trust in Trump’s instincts, a strategy outlined by a high-level official as “trusting Trump” [4]. The Russian side has reportedly submitted a written peace proposal to Trump, though the White house has not disclosed its contents and has suggested the plan may not be viable. The situation on the ground remains volatile, with recent Russian advances in eastern Ukraine complicating any immediate diplomatic progress. The administration continues to temper expectations, acknowledging that the meeting will not produce immediate results but may lay the groundwork for future diplomatic efforts. Both the U.K. and Russia appear to be in a position where they are not ready to make the concessions necessary to end the war.
Trump’s decision to meet with Putin without preconditions stems from his belief that he can quickly gauge the Russian leader’s motives. During a recent public statement, Trump claimed he could judge within “two minutes” whether progress was possible, with his response potentially being either “lots of luck, keep fighting” or “we can make a deal” [3]. The White House is placing trust in Trump’s instincts, a strategy outlined by a high-level official as “trusting Trump’s instincts” [4].
The Russian side has reportedly submitted a written peace proposal to Trump, though the White House has not disclosed its contents and has suggested the plan may not be viable. The idea of trading land for peace has been floated, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has outright rejected this approach. Zelenskyy’s office has also indicated, based on intelligence reports, that Putin is not preparing for a ceasefire or an end to the war [5]. Zelenskyy has made it clear that any peace agreement must include a full ceasefire before territorial negotiations can take place [6].
While the Trump-Putin meeting is being framed as a first step toward potential future engagement, it is not being held in isolation. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is scheduled to hold a virtual meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy, and other European leaders to discuss options for pressuring Russia, addressing territorial issues, and planning potential peace negotiations [7]. However, the White House has underscored that only one party—Putin—will be present in the Alaska summit, making it a “listening exercise” rather than a negotiation [8].
The situation on the ground remains volatile, with recent Russian advances in eastern Ukraine complicating any immediate diplomatic progress. Analysts have raised concerns about the potential impact of Trump’s public criticisms of Zelenskyy, which could signal a U.S. stance more favorable to Russia and less aligned with Ukrainian interests [9]. The White House has not ruled out the possibility of future meetings, including a trilateral format involving the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine, but no concrete framework exists for such a discussion [10].
For now, the focus remains on Trump’s ability to read Putin and determine whether a path to peace is worth pursuing. The administration continues to temper expectations, acknowledging that the meeting will not produce immediate results but may lay the groundwork for future diplomatic efforts. Both the U.S. and Russia appear to be in a position where they are not ready to make the concessions necessary to end the war. As the summit approaches, the administration is prepared to let Trump’s instincts guide the next steps in a complex and uncertain diplomatic landscape.
Source:
[1] White House doesn’t expect Trump-Putin summit to end … (https://www.cryptopolitan.com/trump-putin-summit-no-peace-and-trade-deals/)
[2] White House tempers ceasefire hopes ahead of Trump … (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-13/white-house-tempers-ceasefire-hopes-as-russia-advances/105645732)
[3] Trump, Vance to meet virtually with Zelenskyy ahead of Putin … (https://abcnews.go.com/International/zelenskyy-putin-preparing-end-war-despite-trump-summit/story?id=124567946)
[4] ‘Trusting Trump’s instincts’: White House sets modest … (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/12/donald-trump-instincts-white-house-putin-summit-00504648)
[5] Ukraine, sidelined in Trump-Putin summit, fights Russian … (https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-sidelined-trump-putin-summit-fights-russian-grab-more-territory-2025-08-12/)
[7] Will Trump get played by Putin? Europe is worried (https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5449141-trump-criticizes-ukraine-president/)
[8] Russia Makes Sudden Battlefield Advance Ahead of Talks (https://time.com/7309066/russia-ukraine-war-advance-summit-putin-trump/)
[10] White House is already downplaying Trump-Putin meeting … (https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-putin-alaska-meeting-ukraine-russia-b2806352.html)