Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed on Tuesday not to give eastern Ukrainian land to Russia, saying that abandoning the Donbas region would open the door for Russian President Vladimir Putin to “start a third war” in Ukraine.

Trump has touted Friday's summit in Alaska as a chance to get a breakthrough but Zelensky's likely absence from the talks and repeated rejection there can be any land swaps have added to doubts that any genuine diplomatic progress can be made.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attempted deception ahead of Friday’s planned summit with President Donald Trump in Alaska. Zelensky cited intelligence reports from his country’s military command claiming that the Russian president has no intention of entertaining a ceasefire or ending the war with Ukraine.